XXless
by LittleNK
Summary: Loveless/Hikaru no Go crossover. Soubi meets his new Sacrifice.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Hikaru no Go or Loveless.

**For those who haven't heard of Hikaru no Go:** I try my best to describe the basic concept of Go and Hikaru no Go characters, I'm quite sure that you will get it

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**XXXless**

**Prologue**

"Maybe Kio is right all along," a young man said bitterly. His sad smile and his haunted look were evidences of betrayal, "The Ayaogis are no good."

It was midnight. The room was dark. Neither the owner of the room nor his visitor bothered to turn the light on. If it wasn't for the soft light from the crescent moon, they would be left in darkness.

Soubi hated this room. It reminded him of his past, the past he wanted to forget but somehow ended up remembering every minute of it. Wherever he turned, he saw butterflies – stuffed butterflies pinned on the wall.

He used to be one of them.

Yes, he used to be a butterfly.

Such a sinful creature**;** if it wasn't so delicately beautiful, it wouldn't have been captured, killed and hung on the wall.

It was the butterfly's fault.

"No, I shouldn't have said that," Soubi shook his head, ashamed for his behavior, "After all they are… were my masters." he got up from the comfortable sofa, unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it away. "Punish me."

Another man rose from his seat and took out a leather whip from a drawer. He approached to Soubi, who now stood facing the wall, with his hands against the wall for support.

"You're a perfect Fighter," Ritsu praised, a sadistic smile crept up on his face.

/Whipping/

Maybe Soubi was still a butterfly.

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**Words:** 235

**AN:** After SeikaDragon mentioned that I should write HNG/Loveless crossover, I re-watched Loveless in youtube and come up with this fic, so here it is. Hope you like it.

As I only post fic that I have completed it only. So, yes, this fic is completed (although the last 3 chapters have not been betaed yet). You don't have to worry that I will abandon it. I'll update it once a week.**Special Thanks :** my beta **Sany** and **SeikaDragon** who mentioned that I should write a HNG/Loveless fic.

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	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Hikaru no Go or Loveless.

"blahblahblah" Character's dialogue

_blahblahblah Character's thought_

/Sound effect/

**AN:** The story will be told from Soubi's and Hikaru's POV.

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**Chapter 1: Everybody has painful memories**

May 2002, The Japanese Go Association

Soubi looked up from the map that Ritsu had given to him earlier. The said building stood high before him.

_He's here?_

_My new Sacrifice._

_My new Master._

_Shindou Hikaru._

000000000000000000000000000000000000000Flashback started000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

A week ago,

"Here," Ritsu handed him a small piece of paper.

Soubi, who was lying on the floor, received the paper. He tried to read but barely saw what was written on it. His eyesight wasn't fully recovered yet as he had just regained his consciousness. To tell the truth, he was surprised. This was the first time he had ever fainted from the pain of Ritsu's whip.

He wasn't angry at him though.

He was grateful.

He loved the pain.

It helped him to forget.

It helped him to feel alive.

"This is where you can find your new Sacrifice," Ritsu informed him emotionlessly.

Soubi's head snapped up the moment that word came out of his former instructor, "My what?"

"Your master,"

"But I,"

"You need a master, you know that," Ritsu cut off, a bit irritated that his favorite student tried to look away from an obvious truth. "Seimei thinks of you as a traitor now. Sooner or later he'll start hunting you, then the Seven Moons will pursue you in order to get Seimei. Nagisa won't stop sending her Zero to you either. You alone can't fight against them all, not when Ritsuka ditches you for his real Loveless Fighter."

"Ritsuka didn't..." Soubi opened his mouth to argue but no voice came out. The truth was struck in his throat, suffocating him.

"You need a pair. You need power."

"I…"

"Most importantly, you need orders to continue living."

Soubi closed his eyes, with his head hanging down in defeat. The principal was right.

He needed orders.

0000000000000000000000000000000000Flashback ended000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Leaning against a wall, Soubi lit his Seven Stars Menthol cigarette. He decided not to enter the building. He didn't know what kind of place it was. He didn't even know what Go was so he decided to wait outside and observe the boy who was supposed to be his new master from distant.

_Shindou Hikaru…_

_Am I to be with him now?_

"Your student is a girl? You're lucky, Shindou." A voice spoke up, interrupting his thoughts. He turned to the direction where the voice came straight away. A cat-looking boy was grumbling, "I have to teach a very very old fat man tomorrow."

Another boy laughed at him, "Haha, good luck then."

With those cheerful green eyes and soft pink lips of his, the second teenager was counted as a beautiful boy. He would be even more beautiful if he didn't wear that strange two-color hairstyle but who was he to criticize other's fashion taste when he himself was a masochist.

_So, this is __**he**__._

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"His name is Shindou Hikaru. Although he's only fifteen, he's got a job already. He's a professional Go player," Ritsu briefed on the boy's profile.

"Go?"

"A board game, a highly intellectual board game like chess. From what I heard, the boy is pretty famous in his world. He's just been promoted to a 2-Dans," he shrugged,when he saw Soubi's questioning eyes, "Whatever it is, he must be clever enough. I'm certain that his intelligence and his insight will work to your advantage during the battle."

"What about his Fighter then? His Fighter hasn't appeared yet, has he? And what will happen when he does?" Soubi stood up and dashed at his ex-guardian. He grabbed the collar of his shirt and demanded in a hiss. "What will happen to me then, huh? Or do you expect me to keep changing Sacrifice?"

"That's the privilege of being the Blank Fighter," a simple reply from the older man.

"It's not a privilege. It's a curse," Soubi releasedhim and turned away. He didn't want him to see the sadness displayed on his face. "A curse of not having the destined pair. I'm sick of it; sick of being thrown away like trash once the one-and-only comes. The first time was painful. The second time was unbearable. If there is a third time, I don't think I can take it." He choked up.

But neither his shaking body nor his sorrow went unnoticed to a vigilant individual like Ritsu Minami, "Then Shindou-kun is exactly what you're looking for," he said while adjusting his glasses.

That statement caught Soubi's interest, "What do you mean?"

Ritsu walked back to his armchair and sat on it, "He doesn't have a Fighter, not anymore."

The young man frowned slightly, "I don't get it."

"His Fighter is dead."

His eyes opened wide in shock, and several seconds passed before he could say anything, "He let his Fighter die? That's horrible…"

But the principal chuckled in response, "Oh, no. It's not like that. He didn't even know he had a Fighter."

"What?"

"Fujiwara Sai is…was his Fighter. He was one of my students," Ritsu gracefully got up from his armchair. He went to a window, gazing at the moon in the night sky. He held his hands behind his back and muttered. "If he were alive, he would have been around your age."

"Fujiwara Sai," The name was unfamiliar to Soubi. "I have never heard of him before."

Ritsu turned around. Leaning on the window, with his arms crossing over his chest, he enlightened his best student of all time, "That's because I made sure that the two of you didn't meet each other. I didn't want him to exert a bad influence on you."

"Bad influence?"

"Sai was a clever boy. He was very perceptive. If the opponent showed any signs of weaknesses, no matter how small it may be, Sai would be able to see it and use it against his opponent."

Soubi knew his former mentor well enough to know that apart from Soubi himself, Ritsu had never complimented anyone. Therefore, Fujiwara Sai must have been very good.

There was a pause, before Ritsu continued, "He would have been a perfect Fighter like you if he hadn't behaved that way."

Soubi snorted at that. It's not that he had ever wanted to be a perfect Fighter in Ritsu's eye.

"Three years ago, I gave Shindou-kun's address to Sai. Do you know what he did when he met his Sacrifice?"

How in the world was he supposed to know? He had no clue so he remained silent and waited for the answer.

"He asked Shindou-kun to _**befriend **_with him," His benefactor said in disgust as if he would contract leprosy simply by mentioning it. "They did become friends. Sai was by Shindou-kun's side for two years and a half before he died, yet he told him nothing about our world. He didn't tell him that he was his Fighter and that Shindou-kun was his Sacrifice. I followed them once. I saw him dragging Shindou-kun here and there. _'Oh, it's a new Go Salon. Let's go inside, Hikaru.' 'Your ice-cream looks yummy, let me have a bite.' _he said. Sai was always a demanding child. However, I didn't imagine he would've dared to go so far to the point of making his Sacrifice follow his own whim."

Stunned, Soubi was lost for words. People had condemned him for violating the Fighter's taboo by having two Sacrifices – he wondered what they would take to this outrageous behavior.

"A Sacrifice and a Fighter are not meant to be friends. A Fighter must protect his Sacrifice with his life. A Fighter must fight and win at all costs. In order to do that, a Fighter must learn how to endure the pain and overcome it. The protector and the one who is protected; a Sacrifice and his Fighter are not equal. I'm not saying that a Sacrifice should treat his Fighter like he treats a dog the way Seimei treated you but a Sacrifice and his Fighter are **not** friends in any circumstances," Ritsu, whose team was known as one of the best, lectured.

Soubi had heard this speech countless of times since he was five. It was then that he had become Ritsu's protégée and started his training. Apart from the offen**s**e towards Seimei, he, too, agreed with the man.

"That's why Seimei hates him so much. He said that Sai was the disgrace of all Fighters. That's why he had Nisei kill him," said Ritsu.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000Flashback ended00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"A Fighter is merely a Sacrifice's tool. A Fighter needs neither will nor thoughts. A Fighter's sole duty is to obey his master. A dog must follow his master's orders without any question or hesitation. A Fighter must do whatever it takes to fulfill his master's utter satisfaction." Seimei had once told him.

It was no wonder why Seimei erased Fujiwara Sai from the world. To Seimei, his action was against everything he believed in; his being dirtied the world.

This was Aoyagi Seimei they had been talking about. He was the man who considered Soubi to be a faultytool just because he talked without his permission.

Now, standing less than twenty meters away was Sai's Sacrifice, the master of the tarnished Fighter: Shindou Hikaru.

_Maybe I shouldn't do this. It's too soon. My wound is still fresh. _

"You know that you can't quit being a Fighter," the head master differed when he had mentioned of his retirement. "You don't have a will to live on, unless someone orders you to."

"Excuse me, are you Shindou Hikaru?" he asked the boy with a cold fake smile.

It was quite frustrating but he couldn't find a fault in the head master's logic. He did need a master.

Agatsuma Soubi needed Shindou Hikaru.

"Look at the bright side, Sai died already, no one will ever take him away from you," that was what Ritsu had said to cheer him up before he left his office.

* * *

Hikaru had first met Fujiwara Sai three years ago when he was twelve years old. He had been sitting on a climbing stand in a playground around his neighborhood. Then Sai had climbed up the stand and sat next to him, saying that he wanted to get to know him and be his friend.

"So, what do you say? Do you want to be my friend?" Sai had asked him.

"Of course! Why not?" the twelve years old Hikaru had grinned back, "The more friends, the better!"

And so, they had talked, and talked and talked. Sai had kept asking him about his life. How old was he? Did he live around here? Which school did he attend to? Did he have any siblings? Wasn't it lonely to be a single child?

Hikaru, who hadn't suspected anything, had answered all of his questions without restraint.

Come to think of it, he had just realized how careless he had been. Why in the world would a twenty-year-old male want to chum up with a kid like him? What if he was one of those disgusting men who raped children for their pleasure? What if he was a slave trader?

Lucky for him, Sai was none of those – not even close.

To him, Sai was a very complex person. There were times when Sai spent a whole evening philosophizing on fate, on how magical it was for two people to meet in the world with a population of trillions, and on how wrong it was for a person to govern others. Hikaru, who was only twelve back then, hadn't understood what Sai was talking about but he had thought it was cool anyway.

However, there were times when Sai acted as if he was a five year-old boy. He remembered taking Sai to a game center for the first time. Sai had just stood in the middle of the arcade, shocked that such an exciting place really existed in the world. He had watched other kids play games with interest, and fingered a game machine carefully as if it were some sort of a priceless antique. When Hikaru had given him stickers that they had taken at a photo sticker booth together, Sai, with tears welling up in his eyes, received them and swore that he would never lose them – even if it meant that he had to die protecting them. Hikaru had laughed at that, saying that it wasn't a big deal if he lost them; they would simply take a new one in that case. Until today, he still wondered what kind of childhood Sai had gone through. With the exception of Touya Akira, he didn't expect that there was a person beyond fifteen years of age who had never stepped into a game center before.

It was true that Sai embarrassed Hikaru sometimes with his childishness, but he hadn't been able to stop seeing him. He had been attracted to Sai's pure soul already. So, they had become friends. On weekdays, no matter how busy Sai was, he would sneak out from his classes to meet Hikaru at their playground. On weekends, they had gone to department stores, game centers, amusement parks, wherever they wanted to**. **Mostly it was Sai who asked Hikaru to take him to somewhere fun.

One day, when they hadn't known where to hang out or what to do, Sai had suggested going to his apartment and Hikaru had agreed.

Sai's place was exactly what Hikaru had expected it to be. It was very clean and organized. Although it was full of books and old scrolls, there wasn't a cold or eerie feeling. It had the opposite effect, actually, as those books had given him a surprisingly warm feeling, making him yearn for the past.

Sai had then brought out a small table and laid it in front of him. That table was a Goban.

Hikaru had learnt how to hold a Go stone that day.

At first, Go was nothing more than a 'killing-time' game to Hikaru. He had played it because he had nothing better to do. But it didn't take long for him to actually like the game, since Sai had kept going on and on about how magnificent and how noble the game was.

Before he knew it, Go wasn't just a hobby to him anymore. He wanted to be better; he wanted to be stronger. To achieve that goal, he had to play against other opponents than Sai – the more, the better.

And he knew where to find them.

A year after he met Sai, he had become an insei. A year after that, he had passed the pro exam; he had even gotten the best record.

He wouldn't have seized the first seat if Sai had taken the exam. It was undeniable that Sai was the superior one; he was the one who taught him Go and trained him for the exam after all. If Sai had been a Pro, he would have been legendary since he was incredibly strong. But Sai hadn't applied for the exam, though, saying that he preferred to lead a quiet and peaceful life, rather than become a celebrity.

Hikaru wanted to argue that Sai was a star already. He was well-known, even before Hikaru had joined the insei class. Since the day Sai had started playing internet Go, he had become the talk of the town as news of his unbelievably skills had spread out like wildfire – both online and in the real world.

From that moment on, Sai was not the common man he wished to be; he would always be special. Even his death was not ordinary.

Sai had been murdered.

Five months after Hikaru had passed the pro exam, Sai's corpse had been found in a dark dirty alley. Deep knife wounds and bruises were found all over his body.

Sai had been tortured to death.

The murderer had left him in the alley, next to a garbage bin, like he was trash.

The incident had shocked Hikaru greatly. He had locked himself in his bedroom, refusing to eat or talk to anyone for three days. After he had come out of his room, he hardly spoke. He couldn't sleep, he couldn't eat; he had been living like the dead for the next four months.

If not for Shindou Heihachi, his grandfather, Hikaru would have been engulfed in the darkness of eternal grief. His grandfather, at the age of seventy years old, had suffered from the loss of his friends and family members many times than he would've liked it.

"Your friend is at peace now. If there's something that would make him worry, it's you, Hikaru," Heihachi had told him when he had come to visit him. "You must go on. That's the duty of the living like us. We live for ourselves, and for those who have no chance to live any longer."

He knew his grandpa was right. Sai wouldn't have wanted him to be like this. He had to continue living for the both of them.

It was like he had walked away from the shadows to where the light was shining. And so, Shindou Hikaru was reborn.

He had gone back to the Go world, stronger and more determined than he had ever been. He had participated in the Hokuto Cup Tournament as one of three Japanese representatives. Even if he had lost, it was alright. He would study harder to become greater; like a phoenix coming back to life from the ashes. He would continue walking along this path – the path to the Hand of God.

Today was like to any other day. He came to the Association to play his Oteai game. After the game was over, he had met Waya on his way back. They agreed to go to the subway station together, and Hikaru would then be forced to listen to Waya's whinings along the way there. Once they reach the station, Waya would travel to the outside of the city, to Morishita-Sensei's house, while he would head downtown to Touya's Go Salon.

It was just another normal day. Hikaru liked it. Like Sai, he thought that simplicity was the best and he preferred his life to remain that way.

"Excuse me, are you Shindou Hikaru?" asked a man with long strawberry blond hair with a smile.

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**Words:** 3046

**Special Thanks:** my dear beta, **sany**

**AN: Please review, every review keeps me writing :)**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Hikaru no Go or Loveless.

"blahblahblah" Character's dialogue

_blahblahblah Character's thought_

/Sound effect/

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**Chapter 2: An inconvenient truth**

"Excuse me, are you Shindou Hikaru?" Soubi asked Shindou Hikaru with a smile.

"Ha, hai," the boy nodded in reply.

"Shindou, who is he? A friend?" the cat-boy with red hair, whose arms were hanging around Hikaru, wondered.

"Geez, you're heavy, Waya," his Sacrifice (he hadn't realized yet that he was his Sacrifice) struggled away from _**Waya**_'s hold and advanced to Soubi. "Hi, I'm Shindou Hikaru. Is there something I can do for you?" he offered his hand.

Soubi accepted his hand, "Nice to meet you, Hikaru," then he whispered into his ears, "I'm Fujiwara's friend."

"!"

_If it was Ritsuka, he would've jumped on me and hugged me._

But the teen boy stood still, neither jumping nor hugging him. He collected himself well. "Is that so?" That was all he uttered. He closed his eyes before calling out his friend, "Hey, Waya!"

"What?"

Without looking back at the other boy, he shouted. "Sorry but seems like you gotta go to the station alone!" His emerald green eyes never left Soubi's. "I have something to talk with his bro."

Hikaru led him to a park near by. Soubi thought of it as a good sign. It showed that he had leadership in his vein – the most important quality for a Sacrifice. How ironic it was though, that the first time he had met Ritsuka, Soubi had brought him to a park to talk too.

When they reached a fountain in the middle of the park, Hikaru turned around, "And, you are?"

"Soubi," he answered, "Agatsuma Soubi."

"A-gat-su-ma Sou-bi," the green eyes boy repeated slowly.

_My name... coming from his lips… his voice runs through me. A firm voice that will rule over me from now on… it makes me feel safe. This is it… He is the one! _"Yes,"

"Sai has never mentioned you before," the boy remarked.

"Well, actually we're not friends," Soubi admitted. "We went to the same school and had the same advisor. We didn't really know each other." _It's a lie. In fact, we didn't know each other at all._

"I see,"

Both paused for several moments, and Soubi took the opportunity to study his new master. With his bleached bangs and trendy clothes, he looked like one of the typical teenagers he often saw at Shinjuku.

_But there's something about him. Even __as__ he stands so far away from me, I still feel a confident aura radiating from him._

"Correct me if I'm wrong," he spoke up. "But it's as if you don't want to talk about Fujiwara. I thought he's a precious friend of yours."

"Memory is like a blade with two sharp edges. It can bring us either sweet happiness or bitter pain," Hikaru spoke calmly.

"Such beautiful words, you say," Soubi smiled. "I like you, Hikaru."

* * *

_What did he just say? Did he just say that he lik__es __me? And he called me 'Hikaru' too!_

Hikaru felt a sweat drop rolling down from his forehead. He swallowed hard, eyeing the man in front of him with distrust, "You shouldn't say that you like someone so easily, Agatsuma-san."

"But I do like you, Hikaru." the said man insisted. "And, please, call me, Soubi."

_Well, let's play along for now. _"Soubi-san."

"Just Soubi,"

_Better not be too familiar to him._ "I don't think it's appropriate, Soubi-san."

"Such a polite boy you are. I like you, Hikaru."

_He says it again. _Hikaru examined Soubi. He could see through his gold rimmed glasses that his eyes were azure blue. His hair was long and its color was strawberry blond. It made him wonder if he was even Japanese. He was tall and slender. He wore a black turtle-neck shirt and black leather pants. To be honest, he was quite a handsome young man, even with those bandages around his neck.

Hikaru kept quiet and stared at Soubi, observing him and taking notes. For a few moments, the air was still and calm before it was punctuated with a shrill ringing noise.

"Excuse me, it's mine," he took out his mobile phone from his pocket and answered the phone, "Hello? Touya? Yeah, I'm on my way there." he hung up and went back talking to Soubi. "Sorry, Soubi-san. I have to go now."

"It's alright, Hikaru." Soubi smiled again. "Now that I found you, I'll find you again, no matter where you are."

"By-bye," At that, Hikaru left. This man didn't look like a bad guy but his instincts told him not to trust this man.

"In the end what we can depend on is our intuition," Kurata had often told him that.

* * *

The next day,

"It's him again," Hikaru sighed at the sight of Agatsuma Soubi waiting for him at the lobby of the Association.

"Shindou?"

"Sorry, Touya. See ya tomorrow, okay?" he waved the 4-Dans goodbye and sprinted towards Soubi, "Soubi-san," he greeted.

"Hikaru," Soubi gave him a smile.

_That smile again._

They went to the same park again. The mysterious blond followed him obediently without saying anything.

"You like this park?" Soubi started a conversation once they arrived to the park.

Hikaru shrugged. It wasn't that he liked this park in particular.

"Or is it because you don't want to be alone with me?"

That was precisely the reason why he chose this park. It wasn't too crowded but it was not that deserted either, a perfect place to talk in private while having a few witnesses in case anything happened.

Soubi saw right through his plan.

The older man took out a cigarette and a lighter from his breast pocket. He held the cigarette between his lips and lit it, "You're careful. I like it. I like you."

"Didn't I tell you that you say that too often?" Hikaru was getting annoyed. Hadn't he told him not to say that? Was he a retard?

Soubi breathed the smoke in and out, "But it will make our bond stronger."

"Bond?" _What the hell is he talking about?_

"Who is that boy?" he queried.

"Touya?"

"Your friend?"

"And rival," Hikaru corrected, "He's my friend and my eternal rival."

"Eternal rival, huh?" Soubi seemed to be amused by the idea, "Do you believe in destiny? Fate perhaps?"

"What?" _Sai asked me this too… once._

"Do you believe that there's someone who was born just to be yours?" Soubi's blue eyes looked straight into his green eyes. His voice was surprisingly serious.

_To be mine? What the hell is he talking about? _Hikaru wondered.

"Don't you think it's wonderful that two people, just two, are meant to be together?"

"You don't look like the romantic type to me," he sniggered, trying to divert the subject to the normal one.

"... that two people are connected by the Gossamer thread."

_Gosso…what thread? Like red thread on pinky fingers between lovers?_

"… from the moment we met, our bond was formed,"

Hikaru found himself trembling._ A spell._ he thought.

Soubi's voice kept on ringing, enchanting him, "… the more we meet, the more we get closer, the more our bond get stronger,"

_Like there is a power in his words, hypnotizing me, tying me..._ Hikaru held himself tight to keep himself from shaking more violently.

"We're standing here, talking. It strengthens our bond too."

_What bond? Our bond? **"**__**What?"**_As if getting slapped, he was now fully awakened, free from a hypnotic state.

Hikaru's exclaim stopped Soubi's flow of words, and he stared at him,quiet, serious.

He took a few steps back. _Oh boy, this is not happening. _"Lis, listen, Soubi-san," he stammered, "I'm sorry if I ever gave you a wrong idea but…but I don't think of you _**that **_way."

Suddenly Soubi's face was right before his, "What way?"

Hikaru didn't want to be there any longer, "Goodbye, Soubi-san." he said and prepared to leave.

But before he could run away from the spine-chilling man, he heard him say, "I know who killed Fujiwara Sai."

* * *

Thirty minutes later,

Hikaru sat on a bench in the park, too shocked to speak. He ruffled his hair; he felt so confused, "Let me get this straight," he began, "You're telling me that Sai possessed some kind of supernatural power?"

"Yes,"

And so, the interrogation went on, "And that I'm Sai's Sacrifice, a.k.a. Sai's master?"

"Yes,"

"And that Sai was killed by another guy who used to be your Sacrifice, a.k.a. your master?"

"Yes,"

"And now, since Sai died, you wanna team up with me?"

"The fact is I have already _**teamed up**_ with you," Soubi corrected, "As I told you, our bond has been already formed the moment we met."

This shocked Hikaru into silence.

"From that instant on, I've become your Fighter. I'm yours," he announced. "Good summary anyway," he complimented.

**"You're crazy!"** Rising from the bench, Hikaru exclaimed, "Man, at first, I thought that you're only a homosexual! But you're insane too! I'm leaving!"

"Didn't you find it strange for a man in his early twenties wanting to spend time with a twelve year-old like you all the time?" Soubi remarked calmly.

At that, Hikaru froze straight away.

"Has he never told you that he wanted no one else but you?" Soubi questioned.

Hikaru kept quiet, feeling confusion swirling in his head.

"Has he never told you what his and your real name is?" he pressed on.

There was a pause, before, "Goodbye, Soubi-san." Hikaru said in a hard tone and walked away.

* * *

That night, Hikaru's room

Hikaru had already changed into his nightclothes and was spread on his bed, lying on his back, and staring at the ceiling, "Damn you, Sai. What the hell have you gotten me into?" Soubi's questions were still running in his mind.

"_Didn't you find it strange for a man in his early twenties wanting_ _to spend time with a__ twelve year-old like you all the time?"_

"Of course, I do." he said to himself.

"_Has he never told you that he wanted no one else but you?"_

"To me, only you are enough Hikaru. As long as you're here with me, I don't want anything or anyone else." Sai had said it every time he had asked him about his others friends. Hikaru remembered it well. Whenever he had mentioned this question, Sai would take his hands into his and hold them firmly before repeating this statement to him over and over again.

"_Has he never told you what his and your real name is?"_

In fact, Sai had told him once, "You and I, we are searching for the Hand of God. Nothing but obstacles are waiting for us. The path we take has no end. This will be our true name, Hikaru, remember it. Our name is the same and it is…"

* * *

Two weeks later, late May, Tama Art University, drawing room

Looking out of a window, Agatsuma Soubi was smoking. It had been two weeks since he had disclosed the secret of their world to Hikaru. However, he had not yet told him about the Seven Moons, the Seven Voices Academy or his two previous Sacrifices since it was not necessary for him to know it now. He had only revealed the truth Sai had been hiding from Hikaru all along.

Unknown to most people, there is always a battle between "those with supernatural powers" (that was what Hikaru had labeled them as) going on in this world.

The battle is normally fought between two teams, with each team consisting of two people. One is the attacker, a spell caster who is called a "Fighter". The other is the master of the Fighter, who receives all the damage inflicted by the other team – and he is called the Sacrifice.

To win the fight, the Sacrifice must concentrate on the battle before him and conduct his Fighter. The more focused the Sacrifice is, the clearer the orders are, and the more powerful his Fighter is. The Sacrifice orders and the Fighter obeys – that is how they fight.

It wasn't that anyone could join hands and become a team. It was predestined. All of them had true names. Only those who shared the same name could become a pair. Just like Sai and Hikaru. Sai was born as a Fighter,with Hikaru as his lord.

_Because they have the same name…_

_Except me…_

Soubi had no real name. According to Ritsu, he was the Blank Fighter who could match up with any Sacrifice. Ritsu thought that it was cool but Soubi himself considered it as a punishment – a punishment from God.

Everyone had someone but he had no one. To either be used like a tool before the true Fighter appeared, and cast aside when said Fighter came, or to become a spare Fighter for the Sacrifice whose Fighter had passed away, that was his destiny.

He had questioned himself numerous times before he had decided to meet Hikaru. What was the meaning of his life? Wasn't it worth anything? By trying to take Fujiwara Sai's place like this, didn't it mean he hadfinally accepted his fate as a spare Fighter?

But he was selfish and desperate; he admitted that he needed a Sacrifice.

He needed a master.

He needed someone, _**anyone**_, to command him.

_Hikaru doesn't believe me. Well, no teenager nowadays believes in magic anymore. _

_But Ritsuka believe__d__ you immediately._ Another voice disagreed.

_That's because we got ambushed by the Breathless team right away after I told him about me being his Fighter._

_Oh, that's true. _The voice conceded.

Since that day, Soubi had gone to the Go Association to meet Hikaru every day. Whenever the boy saw him, he would say, "Stay away from me."

Soubi was overjoyed. Finally, he had someone to control him.

Since it was an instruction from his master, he obeyed. But he hadn't told him not to follow him, had he?

So, Soubi had spent the entire week trailing (stalking) his master (although the said master hadn't accepted it yet). Hikaru's schedule was simple. He lived in a middle-class resident area in Tokyo (lucky that his mother wasn't a hysterical children-abusing mother like Ritsuka's).

He woke up around seven thirty and left the house at eight. He went to the train station and arrived at the Association building around nine (Soubi had no idea what he did inside the building though). Usually, Hikaru would leave the building by one p.m., and he would drop by a place called "Heart of Go" (again, Soubi had no idea what business he had there. All he had seen was Hikaru quarrelling with the boy around his age whose name was Touya, the one Hikaru said to be his eternal rival.).

If not, he would leave the building around six p.m., and in that case, he would go straight back home.

_It's four forty-five._ Soubi wondered if the teenager had finished his work already, "What's Hikaru doing right now?" Saying itto himself, he didn't expect anyone to hear him.

But someone did hear him.

**"Who is Hikaru? Sou-chan!"** Kio hollered into his ear.

"Oh, hi, Kio." he spoke indifferently.

**"Don't you 'Hi, Kio' me! You skipped classes again! Sensei was furious! And who the hell is Hikaru? I haven't heard of his… or her name before! You're cheating on me again, aren't you!?"** Kio thundered at the top of his voice.

"Kio, don't say something that might lead people into a misunderstanding," Soubi exhaled the cigarette smoke into the face of the said (gay) man. Kio Kaidou was a good friend of his but he was too loud, seriously.

**"Damn it, Sou-chan! Tell me, who is this Hikaru?"** Kio demanded, coughing at cigarette smoke the same time.

Soubi ignored him, and exhaled out a stream of smoke.

His best friend heaved a heavy sigh of despair, "Tell me, Sou-chan… you didn't get yourself involved in something dangerous again, didn't you?"

Kio had a good reason to be worried. Three months ago, Seimei and his Beloved Fighter, Nisei, had broken into the Academy. Soubi and Ritsuka had arrested Nisei but Seimei had managed to capture Kio. Fortunately, they had been able to exchange hostages without shedding blood. If it had happened to other people, they would have stopped getting involved with Soubi – but Kio had not, Soubi was truly grateful for his loyal friendship.

A month after that, the Loveless Fighter had come into view.

**"Sou-chan! Sou-chan! Are you listening to me?" **

"Hmm?" _It's five already. _"Sorry, Kio. I'm out of here." Soubi said with a smile and took off.

**"What? Wait! Sou-chan! We're not finished yet! Arrz!"** Kio's frustrated shout echoed in a hallway. That was all he heard.

* * *

Twenty minute later, Japanese Go Association

"Hi, Hikaru," greeted Soubi.

His Sacrifice groaned before saying in a pleading tone, "Listen, I'm not in the mood. I'm too hungry."

"Is that so?" Soubi drew near him, "How about a bite of dinner then? My treat."

Hikaru raised his eyebrow at that.

"Ramen?" Soubi uttered when Hikaru took him to a ramen shop not far away from the Association.

"Oh, Shindou-kun! Welcome! Welcome!" the chef grinned wildly as he saw them step into his shop, "Same as usual?"

"Yup," the bleached bang boy answered while heading to an empty table. "What about you?" he turned to Soubi.

This was the first time Hikaru had ever shown concern for him. It made Soubi very happy, "No, thanks."

The fifteen year-old boy casually threw his bag on a seat and settled himself while Soubi sat on the opposite. "Aren't you hungry?"

With his arm on the table, Soubi rested his chin on his fist, "No, I want to watch you eat."

"That's really sick, man," Hikaru spoke with a disgusting face.

"You're cute."

He sighed. A waitress served them two glasses of green tea and a bowl of Miso ramen for Hikaru.

"The owner seems to recognize you," Soubi noted. "You come here often ?" he asked; he wanted to know everything about his master.

"Yeah. I like ramen," Hikaru replied with mouthful of noodle. "I don't mind having ramen three times a day for an entire year."

"That's not healthy," Soubi commented, "It's not wrong for liking ramen. But you shouldn't have it everyday," he lectured. "Taste is one of the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. You shouldn't have the same dish on a daily basis. You need to have other dishes with different flavor. It's a good way to practice sense of taste."

"You may be right, however…" Hikaru looked at him with an accusing expression. "When it comes from you, it sounds so creepy."

Soubi chuckled, "Many people say that. Now, I like you even more."

Hikaru put his hands together and bowed, "Thank you for the food. I have to go home now." he snatched his bag and got up. Soubi stay unspoken watching him leave.

"Oh, by the way," the boy turned around, "don't come to the Association tomorrow. Even if you go, I won't be there. I have a seminar tomorrow."

Then he went off.

* * *

**Words: **3180

**Special Thanks:** my dear **Sany**, what would I do without you?

* * *

**AN: In this universe, people don't have cat ears or tail.**

**Glossary:** **Tama Art University does exist** :) I have spent a lot of time looking for an art university in Tokyo which have Japanese Painting Class. I finally chose this university for Soubi. If you want to know more about what Soubi is studying, feel free to visit : www(dot)tamabi(dot)ac(dot)jp(backslash)english(backslash)dept(backslash)jp(dot)htm

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	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Hikaru no Go or Loveless.

"blahblahblah" Character's dialogue

_blahblahblah Character's thought_

/Sound effect/

* * *

**Chapter 3: Entering into an unknown world**

Hotel East 21 Tokyo,

Soubi entered the hotel. Following the directions written on a signboard, he headed to the main hall, where the Go seminar was held. The closer he got to the room, the thicker the crowd was. _He must be very clos_e. Along the hallway, there were many stalls selling books. Soubi took a look at one of them. Most of the books had the word 'Go' written on the covers. He flipped through a book but didn't understand a thing. There were also booths selling stands that resembled to a wooden chessboard. Interested in neither the books nor the stands, he walked past those kiosks into the convention hall.

The hall was quite large. Near the entrance where Soubi was standing were five rows of tables. Each row had four sets of tables; and each set had four tables arranged in a horseshoe shape. On each table, there was that small stand – like the one they had put up for sale outside. In the middle of the arranged tables, a player (mostly guys, although there were a couple of women) in a suit, played four games (Go, he guessed) against four people at the same time. Deep inside the hall, there was a stage but nobody was on it at the moment.

"Hikaru." Soubi whispered. His voice was almost soundless; even he himself could hardly hear it.

**"Soubi-san!"** A loud cry came from his left. He turned around. Hikaru was there. His expression was a combination of shock and bewilderment. "What are you doing here? How do you know that I'm here anyway?" he questioned.

"You look very handsome in a suit, Hikaru." Soubi complimented. It wasn't an exaggeration. Hikaru, who usually wore T-shirt and jeans, dressed up in a suit today. His dazzling green eyes and blond bangs stood out against the black suit. He looked very smart for a fifteen year-old boy.

"Soubi-san!" Hikaru's cheeks flushed red.

"My, my, you're blushing." Soubi brought his face close to Hikaru's – with only inch apart separating them. "So cute."

"Stop teasing me, Soubi-san!"

"Oi, Shindou!" Someone called. The same cat-looking boy that Soubi had met a month ago approached them. Soubi recognized him. He remembered everyone who was familiar with his Hikaru.

_If I remember correctly, his name is…_

"Yeah, Waya?" His master turned to the said boy.

Waya wasn't alone though. A guy, around his twenties, was with him. He had black hair, brown eyes and a gentle look; a perfect image for a perfect big brother.

"Oh! It's you." Pointing at him, Waya exclaimed. "I don't know if you still remember me but we met about a week ago in front the Association, remember?"

"Yes." Soubi gazed at the red haired boy lazily. He had no interest in others except Hikaru, his Sacrifice.

"Is he a friend of yours, Shindou?" the ideal big brother joined their chitchat.

"Err, sort of."

"We are not friends." It was Soubi who said it in a firm tone. "I am his Fighter." He declared, loud and clear.

"Huh?"

"I'll be back, guys!" Hikaru spoke in alarm. He dragged Soubi out of the room and towards the lobby.

The boy sank on a big sofa. "What do you think you're doing? Saying that you are my Fighter like that?" he scolded.

"But it's true."

"No, it's not!"

"Yes, it is." Soubi insisted.

"You're crazy! "

"You are stubborn." he commented. "Why don't you accept the truth that we are bonded and that I am yours now?"

"What if I tell you that I was taught how to play Go by a thousand year old ghost, would you believe me?" Hikaru queried.

Soubi smirked at the joke, "You've got a point there."

"Of course, I do!" His young master retorted. He crossed his arms and legs and huffed in annoyance. "You still didn't tell me how you knew I'd be here."

Soubi took out a cigarette and lit it. "I checked on the internet. It's not that we have a Go seminar everyday, is it?"

"How long have you been here anyway?" Hikaru continued his interrogation.

Soubi exhaled the smoke and replied honestly. "I've just arrived." Answering questions was one of Fighter's obligations.

"So?"

"So what?"

"What do you think about it?"

"Errr," Soubi scratched his face, not sure how to answer this one. Trying to come up with a good answer, he flicked his cigarette, the ash falling down on the expensive marble floor. "There're a lot people here. Everyone looks happy. The seminar seems to be successful."

Hikaru glared at him, upset. "Is that all you can say?"

"Well, frankly speaking, I don't know much about Go."_That's a lie. I don't even have the faintest idea __what it's__ about. _Soubi confessed. "I know that you're a Go professional player."_ Although I don't know what it is._ "I see the board," In his mind, he visualized the image of a player playing games against four opponents, "black and white stones," he spoke slowly, "so I think it's similar to," he glanced at Hikaru who was looking at him with expectation, "Reversi?"

It was the best he could guess.

**"What?" **Getting on his feet, Hikaru shouted in absolute shock and disgust.** "Reversi, you say?"** Seeing that Soubi only blinked innocently in reply, he let out a long sigh and slumped on the sofa again, "This is unbelievable." he grumbled.

"So, it's not Reversi?"

**"No, it's not!"**

"What is it then?" Soubi posed a question. He wanted to know what the game was. Why did Hikaru like it? Why did he become a Go player? How did he become a Go pro? He wanted to know everything about Hikaru, no matter how trivial it was. It would help to deepen their bond.

"What is it, huh? Hmmm," The Go pro tried his best to find the easiest way to explain it to someone who knew nothing about Go, "Well, you see, in chess, we take turns and move the pawns to take out the opponent's king, right?"

"Right."

"In Go, we take turns to place our stones on the board. The goal is to capture the opponent's stone and develop a territory. The one who gains more territory wins."

"That doesn't sound so hard." Soubi noted.

Then Hikaru smiled. Soubi had known him nearly a month now but he had never seen Hikaru smile like that before. It was such a beautiful and genuine smile. "That's just a small part of Go. Go has lasted for thousand of years, you know; passed on from generation to generation. The reason why I, no, why all Go players around the world keep on playing this game is because we're searching for a certain goal." Hikaru paused and looked out through the glass wall to the Japanese garden before he continued his speech, "You see, we all continue playing because we hope that," he closed his eyes, took a deep breath in and went on, "we hope that one day we will achieve a perfect game; a perfect game playing by a perfect hand that can only performed by God himself – the Hand of God." he looked straight into Soubi's blue eyes. "When I play Go, I feel like I am God, creating life – the stones are stars of the universe. I want to reach the Hand of God; I want to know what it feels like to cross the line between a mere human and God."

"Hikaru."

"There you are, Shindou!" A sharp voice called out. Soubi knew this person too: he was his lord's rival, Touya. The boy in a soft pink suit was trudging towards their direction. Once he reached them, he grasped Hikaru's arm. "Your break is over. Go inside and do your job!"

"Hai, hai," Hikaru replied in a bored sing-song tone, "See ya, Soubi-san." He winked at him before getting hauled by Touya to the seminar room. "Ouch! Touya! Don't pull so hard! It hurts!"

Soubi stared at Hikaru's back as he ran off. For a moment, he was lost in his bright and determined eyes, as if he had been enchanted. It had never ever happened before. He was a Fighter, a spell caster who put his power into his words and bended them with his willpower. He bewitched people, not the other way round. So what had just happened?

* * *

Two hours later,

"You're still here?" Hikaru cried out as he saw Soubi waiting at the very same spot he had left him earlier, smoking.

"I'm waiting for you." Soubi walked towards him, a cigarette held between his lips.

Hikaru snickered at that. "Yeah, like I want you to wait for me."

"Sarcasm suits you well."

"You're annoying, do you know that?"

"Many people say so." the suspicious guy laughed it off.

"Hey, Shindou!" Waya called. Isumi was with him too, "Are you coming with us?"

Soubi rested his chin on his head, embracing him from behind possessively. "No, he's coming with me."

"H-hey!"

Looking back and forth between them, Waya's forehead wrinkled. Swallowing hard, he loosened his tie and stuttered. "I-in that case, I'll leave you two alone."

"Thank you."

"Hey, wait! Waya! Wayaaa!" Hikaru called out to him but it was too late. His friends were out of his reach already. If truth be told, Waya was sprinting as if he were running away from a terrifying ghost.

"Let's go, Hikaru." Holding his arm tightly, Soubi smiled.

Hikaru simply breathed out in weariness.

* * *

They had not left the hotel's terrain yet when Soubi encountered his acquaintances.

"There you are! Agatsuma Soubi! We came here for a rematch!" the Fearless Fighter, Mei, declared hotly.

"Oh, you're so eager today, Mei-chan." her Sacrifice, Mimoru laughed.

_Good timing! Now, Hikaru will see that I'm telling him the truth!_

As Hikaru didn't believe his story, he had not yet granted Soubi the right to use his name. They were not fully connected yet, Soubi therefore was still the Blank Fighter, not Hikaru's and it weakened him.

Even with that handicap, the Fearless couple was no match for him. Mei, the Fearless Fighter, was a just child, a third or forth grader. Although she seemed like a loud tomboy, she had talents. That was why Seimei recruited her. But she was inexperienced and disobedient to her Sacrifice, Mimoru. Mimoru was around eighteen. He was a carefree high school boy who didn't take things seriously.

"Soubi-san, who are they?" Hikaru nudged his elbowed to get his attention.

Lost in his thoughts, Soubi said nothing in answer. _I'll __use this fight to open his eyes._

"The battle starts!" Mei announced fiercely.

Soubi took off his glasses, "I accept." he stated.

"Huh? What the!" Hikaru hollered out as their surrounding turned into black. The magical barrier expanded. Soon, the four of them were enveloped by a dome of darkness, "What's going on?"

"We are Fearless. And that's our power. We aren't afraid of anything." Mei and Mirumo declared their name.

"Hikaru, this is who you are." Soubi articulated. "This is who we are."

"Sou-Soubi-san." Hikaru spoke softly.

**"Here I come! Little Duckling! Attack!"** Mei shouted. Nearly thirty rubber ducks emerged out of thin air, they flew towards Soubi and Hikaru with high speed like missiles.

"Rubber ducks?" Hikaru wrinkled his eyebrows. Even he, who understood nothing, didn't know how to think of the choice of weapon their enemy had chosen.

"Wind, the faithful servant of mine, follows my command! Gentle breeze, turn into lethal arrows of wind and destroy those ridiculous toys!" Soubi countered. With that, the ducks exploded.

"Ano," Mimoru said meekly to his Fighter, "Mei-chan, I don't think those ducks will work against him."

**"Shut up!"**

_A dog that barks at her owner and the indecisive master, I don't think I will lose but… _Soubi sneaked a peek at the boy by his side, who gawked at Mei like she grew a second head. _If the battle carries on too long, I'll be at a disadvantage. At any rate, it's two against one. _"Multiply by hundred, thousand, ten thousand, arrows of wind, pierce through these ignorant fools who dare to defy us!" The wind stormed fiercely towards the Fearless duo. They closed their eyes and raised their arms up to prevent their faces from the invisible blades. It only lasted a second but it was an opportunity to attack, and Soubi wouldn't let that be wasted, "Restrain!" A long and thin piece of white fabric resembling a bandage sprouted from the ground and wrapped around Mimoru from head to toe.

**"No! Defense!"** Mei screamed with a frantic look in her teary eyes, **"Something that can protect Mimoru, Appear!"**

"It's too late." Soubi spoke coldly. "Besides, the spell is too open."

**"Mimoru! Mimoru! Mimoru!"** the poor girl hurried towards her crush, completely forgetting about Soubi and their unfinished battle.

"Want to yield?" Soubi asked condescendingly. If it was the old him, he would have striked until they fell but Ritsuka didn't like it that way. To Ritsuka, just winning was enough; there was no need to destroy the opponent.

Mei whimpered. "We give up."

"Good choice." The dome slowly vanished. They were back in the real world. Soubi grasped Hikaru's hand and led him to his apartment. He didn't even bother to look back at the crying Mei and the unconscious Mimoru.

* * *

That evening, Soubi's apartment

"This is all I got. The rest is beer, sorry." Hikaru took a bottle of mineral water from Soubi. He sat on a wooden floor, shaking. He hadn't recovered from the shock yet. _It can't be true! Even if it's evening now, __the sky wouldn't suddenly turn dark__! Flying rubber ducks nearly attacked Soubi-san! Then that guy __became__ an Egyptian mummy! _

Soubi kneeled in front of him and tilted his chin up. "Are you okay, Hikaru?"

"How?" Hikaru choked up.

"You know how." The older man said gently.

"It's impossible." _Isn't it?_

"It isn't." Soubi stuck with his fairy tale. "You saw it with your own eyes. Are you going to deny it?"

"But magic," Hikaru started.

"is real," Soubi finished his sentence, his eyes didn't look away from his for a second.

Hikaru felt as if the world was spinning, but once he was able to pull himself together, he said. "Tell me everything."

He didn't know what he was doing anymore.

_He's insane._

_So am I._

Soubi had already told him about the basic of the relationship between a Sacrifice and a Fighter, and that Sai was killed by his former master. This time, he continued the story.

He told Hikaru about Sai joining the Seven Voices Academy and how Sai's behavior towards Hikaru brought him Seimi's hatred, who was once a member of the secret organization called the Seven Moons. This eventually led Sai to his death.

Soubi also told him about himself being the Blank Fighter, who could be with anyone, and how Seimei now wanted him dead, and how Ritsuka, Seimei's twelve year-old little brother, had abandoned him for his real Fighter.

"You can't be serious!" Rising up, Hikaru burst out angrily. "You're telling me that they killed Sai because he was too _**friendly **_with me? I can't believe it!"

He paced around. **"This is not right! Not right at all! Sai was a disgrace, you say? Disgrace, my ass! Sai was too friendly, so what? He has every right to act that way! Everyone has ****the**** freedom to live the way they want! Just because he didn't live up to their standard****s****! Just because he's different! They killed him! Wait! That's not right! They don't even have the right to kill anyone from the very beginning!"** he panted heavily and collapsed on the floor. **"It's not right at all!"** he wailed.

Soubi crawled next to him and held him in his arms. Hikaru cried, and cried and cried. He had always wanted to know why Sai was tortured to death. Sai had the purest heart – who would want to kill such a great person? He had asked himself numerous of times. Now that he knew the truth; it hurt, it hurt so much. Sai died because of that incredibly selfish idea?

Hikaru didn't know how long it had been since he had started crying. He had cried until he had no tear left to shed. At last, he gathered himself together and stopped weeping. "Thank you, Soubi-san." he pushed himself away from the embrace. "And sorry that I ruined your shirt." Seeing that his tears had soaked Soubi's white shirt, he apologized.

"It's nothing."

When Hikaru got up to get his bag on the sofa, Soubi called. "Hikaru."

"We'll talk about this later." Hikaru said as he put on his shoes. "Mom is probably worried sick by now. One more thing," he spoke up before opening the door, "I have to mark you as mine, right?"

"Yes."

At that, he turned the doorknob and went home.

* * *

Hikaru wondered if this was how Alice felt when she entered Wonderland. His head was spinning from Soubi's surreal information. He wanted to think that it was a weird dream, but Soubi was right. He couldn't just go to bed and pretend that nothing had ever happened, could he?

Running away from a trouble like a coward wasn't what Sai had taught him to do.

"Don't look away from the reality, Hikaru. Don't turn deaf just because you don't like the truth." Sai had said.

* * *

**AN: More review please :)**

**Words:**2915

**Thanks to my beta:** sany

* * *

**Glossary:** Hotel East 21 Tokyo does exist, in case you want see the hall where the Go seminar that Hikaru attended, feel free to visit:

www(dot)hotel-east21(dot)co(dot)jp(slash)english(slash)meeting(slash)index(dot)html


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Hikaru no Go or Loveless.

"blahblahblah" Character's dialogue

_blahblahblah Character's thought_

/Sound effect/

* * *

**Chapter 4: Happiness for the Blank Fighter**

There was still some time left before the Oteai game would commence. Next to a vending machine, Shindou Hikaru leaned against a wall, drinking Pepsi.

"Good morning, Shindou." Touya greeted him.

"Morning."

"You're playing against Toriyama-5-Dans today, aren't you?" the 4-Dans asked.

"Yeah, and you have a match with Gokizo, right?" Hikaru took a sip of his drink before he continued, "I'll tell you now, it'll be an easy win for you."

"No one knows what will happen in front of a Go board." Touya stated in his annoyingly academic tone, as if he were lecturing the amateurs-which Hikaru was not. "Maybe he'd slaughter me into half."

"_**Trust me,"**_ Hikaru emphasized, "I know the man. He's not even counted as a Go player. You _**will**_ win." he fixed his eyes at the Pepsi can before turning to his rival for advice, "Ne, Touya, can I ask you a question?"

"That is a question, Shindou." Touya jested.

But as Hikaru wasn't in the mood for jokes, he just snorted. "_**Very**_ funny, Touya."

"What do you want to ask me?"

"Do you believe in destiny?" he wondered.

"Destiny?"

"You know, like what some chick say about a couple being tied by a red thread...that sort of thing-" _Man, this is so embarrassing!_

Touya bent over. One hand was on the wall for support, the other covered his mouth, and his body was trembling slightly. He was laughing...hard.

"Hey! Don't you dare laugh at me!" Hikaru exclaimed.

"Sor, sorry," Touya tried to suppress his laughter, "But, haha!" He failed miserably.

"Stop it!" Hikaru cried out, "You're not even supposed to know how to laugh!"

"Excuse me?" Touya frowned, his tone darkened, "What do you mean by that?"

**"You are Touya Akira! You don't laugh!"**

**"Yes, I do!"** Touya retorted.

And so, their famous bicker had started.

**"No, you don't!"**

**"I do!"**

**"You don't"**

**"Do!"**

**"Don't!"**

**"Do!"**

**"Don-"** _Wait a minute, Hikaru... Don't you have something to ask him? _Hikaru refrained himself from biting his rival's head off. He took a deep breath before getting back to the topic. "Ne, Touya, I really mean it. Do you believe in destiny?" he repeated the question.

Touya raised his eyebrow. The Meijin's son knew him well; he must have sensed the seriousness in his tone. He straightened himself and leaned against the wall, "Destiny, huh?"

"Yeah," Hikaru confirmed and elucidated further, "You know, about how God or someone up there have already designed who we should be with...that kind of thing."

Touya contemplated about it for a moment and stated. "I don't know if there is such a thing as a soul mate… but I do believe that… every Go player has his fated rival – like you and I."

There was a short silence before Hikaru burst out laughing madly, "Hahaha, You… you…Tou-Touya… Man, you're too obsessed about Go!" He patted Touya's shoulder. "You poor little thing. You need a life, you know, a _**real**_ one." He threw himself at the other boy and gave him a bear hug. "Don't worry! You have me! I'll be your friend!"

"Shindou, Stop it this instant! This is disgusting!" Touya struggled free from his tight hold. He combed his hair, brushed his shirt to make sure that he looked presentable before glaring at him threateningly. "For your information, I'm not obsessed. I simply love Go."

"I ask you about soul mate and you said that every Go player has his own opponent." Hikaru retold. "_**I **_love Go. But **you**, _**you**_ are obsessed."

"Is there even a point to this conversation?" Touya demanded.

_A point? Ah! Yes._ "So you do believe that some people aremeant to be?"

His friend thought about it before giving him a nod, "Yes."

"What if God forgets someone?" Hikaru kept on questioning. "What if there's no one for him?"

"It's like a Go player without a rival – it's sad."

"And you said you're not obsessed," he smirked at the answer and shook his head in mock despair, "Man, you're hopeless."

"Shindou!"

_A Go player with no rival, huh. If I don't have Touya…_ Hikaru glanced at the other pro who was threatening him with a fierce and menacing look. _If I don't have anyone _"Yes, it's sad." he agreed. "Let's go, they're about to start." he urged.

As they were heading towards the game room, Touya questioned. "Will you come around to my salon after the game?"

"Hmmm, don't know..." Hikaru shrugged.

"Are you going with that man?" Touya inquired.

"What man?"

"That tall man with long blond hair." he clarified.

"Jealous?" Hikaru teased.

"_**Curious**_." Touya corrected dryly and entered the game room without waiting for him.

* * *

Three hours later, at the lobby of the Japanese Go Association

An elevator opened. The one who was waiting for Hikaru was none other but…

"Why am I not surprised?" He said it with a sigh, and turned to the boy next to him. "Sorry, Touya. I've something to clear up with that guy. See ya!" he waved him goodbye and sprinted towards Soubi.

"Let's have a talk." Hikaru said once he reached Soubi.

The mysterious blond replied with a smile."I know a perfect place."

Said perfect place was Soubi's apartment. Last night, Hikaru was too shocked to observe the room. Now, he saw that all of the furniture was made from a light-color wood; even the floor was covered with light-brown parquet, matching with the other furnishings. It was a big room for only one occupant. It looked almost empty, and there was no decoration in this room. It was just a simple room with a bed, a big wardrobe, a table and a kitchen area. If not for the paintings lying on the floor at a corner of the room, Hikaru would think that no one lived there.

The room showed no life.

"You painted them?" Checking out the paintings, Hikaru noted that all of the paintings were pictures of butterflies.

"Yes," Soubi replied, "I'm an art student."

"Hmm, I see." _He is very good at this._ "I like them."

At that, Soubi sneaked his arm around his waist, embracing him from behind. "This is the first time you said you like me."

"I said I like your _**paintings.**_" Hikaru looked at the paintings before saying. "I still don't wanna believe it." he muttered.

"But it's true." Soubi whispered into his ears. "You know it too, don't you? Since the first time we met, when I mentioned your true name."

_He's right._

_I__'ve__ got a feeling that it might be true all along, yet I was in denial since it's so… unreal. So I __keep__ telling myself not to believe until I__'ve__ see__n__ the truth with my own eyes…_

_Now, I've seen it already……_

_I can't run away anymore…_

_I am a Sacrifice…_

"Please, Hikaru, let me be yours." Soubi begged.

_His voice is like a chant…_

"I will protect you from everything… from everyone. I'll do anything for you…"

_Like I'm getting lost in a maze…_

"This body, this life, this soul, I give them all to you."

_I'm falling under his spell again…_

"You will be the only one for me."

_Before that… there's something I have to know…_

"Didn't you say that you hate being a replacement?"

Soubi tensed up before speaking. "I didn't ask to be a Blank Fighter." His voice was filled with heartbreaking agony. "I don't want to be with any person." he tightened his embrace. It started getting uncomfortable for Hikaru. "I just want to be with someone, just _**one**_ is enough. And Ritsu-Ritsu is a coward. He's afraid to mark me an-and Seimei," He was crushing the boy now. It hurt but Hikaru still stayed quiet, listening to his sobs, "I obeyed _**every **_word he said. I devoted myself to him but he...Nisei… he chose Nisei… I just don't get it… _**why?**_ Am I not a good servant? I am stronger! Then… why?"

"Soubi-san."

"And Ritsuka," Soubi didn't hear Hikaru though. He was lost in his depression. "He said he would never forsake me… that we'll be together forever but he... **What did I do wrong?! Why does everybody ****have to**** leave me all alone!? **"

"Arrgh!" Hikaru cried, wondering if any of his bones were broken or not.

But Soubi still wouldn't release him. On the contrary, he held onto him as if his life depended on it. "Please, Hikaru! I swear I'll never betray or disobey you! So… please!" he pleaded desperately.

_Ahhh, this must be why…_

Hikaru had been asking himself something for a while now.

Why couldn't he leave him?

Sai's smile was warm and kind. But he found Soubi's disconcerting and suspicious.

Soubi's smile was fake and could not be trusted.

Yet, he couldn't leave him.

_Sai and Soubi-san… they're different… but __at__ the same time, they are alike…._

_They just want to be loved._

Hikaru gently pushed Soubi's arms away. Once he was free, he turned around to face the older man. "Look at me, Soubi." he ordered. Soubi looked up from the floor in a blink.

_Are you sure what you're doing? This guy is even worse than Sai._

Sai was a bit clingy but Soubi was aimless. He had no reason to live.

"Soubi," Hikaru began.

_Are you sure this is the right thing to do? You're doing it __out of__ sympathy!_

"I accept."

_Are you sure that you can take responsibility for his life? Being the meaning of his life like this…_

"You are my Fighter now."

_There is no turning back anymore…_

* * *

"Look at me, Soubi." Soubi snapped his head up.

_Did he just...?_

"Soubi,"

_Not 'Soubi-san'… just Soubi_

"I accept."

_Accept…_

"You are my Fighter now."

_My Fighter now…_

He snatched Hikaru's arm and pulled him close.

"Whaaa!" Losing his balance, Hikaru exclaimed. "So... hmmp!"

Soubi crushed his lips onto his newly master's. With Ritsuka, it was just pressing lips together. He couldn't go far more than that since Ritsuka was only a boy, a twelve year-old boy.

But this kiss, it was different, more intimate, more demanding.

**"Sou-chan!"** Kio shrieked. **"What the hell are you doing?" **

He reluctantly ended the kiss. "Oh, hi, Kio," he greeted.

**"Who is this kid?"** Kio hollered. **"What are you doing with him?"**

"This is Hikaru." Soubi introduced. "Hikaru, this annoying loudmouth is Kio." _He's shivering? Why? Is he cold or something?_

_**"Soou-biii,"**_

"Yes?"

"_**You,**_" Hikaru was trembling.

Soubi wondered what was wrong with him. "Yes?"

**"Pervert!"** his Sacrifice exploded. He then stood up, took his bag and went to the entrance.

"Hikaru, wait!" Soubi run after the boy, "Wait a minute!"

**"I'm leaving! Goodbye, pervert!"** At that, Hikaru slammed the door to his face.

Soubi's shoulder fell down. He felt so disappointed. He walked back to the living area. Kio was standing there, with his hands on his hips.

**"_Sou-channnnnn,"_**

* * *

Next evening, Soubi's apartment

Just like the day before, Soubi went to the Association to pick up Hikaru again. Hikaru was still angry at him. He didn't utter a word or even glance at him. He completely refused to acknowledge him, yet, he followed him to his place.

"I don't understand why you're so mad at me." Soubi sat on the floor beside his master. "It's just a kiss."

"It's not just a kiss!" Hikaru answered back sharply. "It's my first!"

Soubi grinned, satisfied to be Hikaru's first (kiss). "Really?" he crawled closer to him.

Hikaru tried to shove him away."Don't put your face too close to mine! Stay away!"

"It's not my fault." Soubi stated while they were struggling.

"So, it's _**my**_ fault that _**you**_ kissed _**me**_?" the Go pro demanded angrily.

"Since you haven't marked me as yours, I have to find another way to strengthen our bond, a physical intimacy." Soubi reasoned.

**_"What?"_**

Backing away, he leaned against his bed and gave the explanation to the fuming boy. "As I told you before, I have no real name, so you have to write your name on me then I will completely be yours."

"Write my name, huh?" Hikaru mused. "Wait a second!" he cried out, "Doesn't that mean that both Seimei and Ritsuka had marked you too?"

"Yes," Soubi pointed at his earrings, "These are from Ritsuka." he then took off his bandages, "This... from Seimei."

Hikaru stared at his scars, terrified. Under his collarbone, there was the word "Beloved" carved onto his flesh. Around his neck, there were hideous deep knife cuts looking like a dog collar.

A dog – that was what Soubi had been for three years.

Hikaru gently caressed those cuts as if he were afraid that he would break him apart. "How cruel, how could he?" he whispered in disbelief.

"If those who have different names become a pair. Their power will decrease by half, and they will suffer the consequences of it." Soubi informed him.

"Eh? What about you? Back then, when you fought that girl!" Hikaru panicked.

Soubi fingered the Beloved mark. "Since I finished them fast, it bled a little. No harm done."

"No harm done, my ass!" Hikaru cursed, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You're worried about me? How cute," Soubi made a move on him again. He leaned close to the boy to kiss.

"Arrz! Stay away from me, you sexual harasser!" Hikaru shouted.

**"And I agree with him!"** Standing over them was Kio, with a predatory look on his face.

After Kio had successfully _**dragged **_Soubi away from Hikaru, his interrogation began. Kio observed the teenage boy. Hikaru was wearing his usual outfit: a casual yellow t-shirt and jeans. Soubi couldn't help but notice the similarity between the two of them. "So, you're Hikaru, huh?"

"Hai. Shindou Hikaru, nice to meet you," Hikaru nodded in greeting, "And you are...?"

"Kio Kaidou, I'm like Sou-chan's wife." Kio always presented himself like this.

"Wi-wife?" Hikaru stuttered.

"No, just a meddling lonely man who loves to interfere the lives of others." Soubi grabbed Hikaru's hands and held them firmly. "I have only you, Hikaru."

"That's enough!" Kio struck his head with his fist before he started his questioning again. "So, this boy is the reason why you've been skipping classes?"

"What? You skipped your classes?" Hikaru demanded.

"Yes." The answer was simple, maybe too simple.

"This is not good, Soubi." Hikaru furrowed his eyebrows in disapproval and gazed into his blue eyes. "If you really like painting, I suggest that you take it seriously."

To Soubi, Hikaru was always an enigma. The boy dressed like a punk and behaved like a noisy brat but he had proved to him many times that he was neither of those. Since they had met, Hikaru had been anything but careless. Unlike Ritsuka who had followed him to a deserted park without hesitation after hearing that he was Seimei's friend, Hikaru had refused to be alone with him and tried to find a way to remain in the public eye all the time while they had been chatting. Just five minutes ago, he had been whining about his stolen first kiss. Now, he was lecturing him on the importance of education and pursuit of his dream.

Shindou Hikaru truly was an enigma.

"I like you, kid!" Kio slapped Hikaru's back, making him nearly fall down to the floor, "Now, tell me what's going on between you and my Sou-chan!"

"Err," Then, Hikaru's stomach rumbled loudly.

"Hahahaha!" Kio guffawed while Soubi just smiled.

"Sorry." Hikaru gave them a sheepish grin.

"You must be hungry. Kio, you go buy something for Hikaru to eat." Soubi instructed. Normally, he was the one carrying orders but Kio was a special case.

"What? Why me?" Kio protested.

Soubi said nothing; he simply gave him the do-or-die look.

Seeing that, his friend gave in. "Okay! Okay!"

Kio reluctantly went to the nearest Lawson. He came back to the room with three bento-boxes, three cups of pudding and many cans of beer. After they finished their dinner, Kio began asking Hikaru questions.

"Go pro?" a confused expression showed on Kio's face. Truth be told, Soubi didn't quite understand what it was as well, "Like a professional baseball player?"

Hikaru hesitated. "Yeah, except that I play Go for a living while they play baseball."

"How do you become a Go pro anyway?" Kio kept on prying. In fact, Soubi was curious about that too. He didn't know much about Hikaru's career.

"Well, you gotta take the Pro exam," Hikaru explained, "During the preliminary round, you gotta win three games out of five. Then you will play in the all-play-all tournament. When I took the exam, there were about thirty participants left in this round, I think. The top three with the best record become a Pro."

Kio drank his beer and asked bluntly. "So, you actually get money from playing a board game?"

"Well, yes but that's not all. We teach people Go too. We teach them at a seminar. Some of them request for a private lesson and we go teach them at their homes." Hikaru added, "And titles, errr, there are many big leagues, and if you win, you get a title."

"Like Sumo?"

"Err, yeah."

Suddenly, a bizarre image popped up in Soubi's mind. It was a picture of a baseball player playing Go against a Sumo wrestler on a Sumo field. _I must be drinking too much._ "Have you won any title?"

Hikaru laughed and shook his head. "No, not yet, but one day I will." he promised with determination. "Right now, I'm just a 2-Dans."

"Dan?" Kio repeated.

"It means 'Level'." Hikaru put it in plain words. "I'm at level 2."

"I see, you're just a beginner then." Kio marked.

Taking a sip of his beer, Soubi warned. "Kio."

Hikaru waved dismissively. "Nah, it's okay, Soubi."

_Soubi..not Soubi-san_… "If you say so." Soubi smiled in reply.

Kio looked back and forth between them. "Okay, just tell me what the hell is going on between you two?"

"Hikaru is my master now." Soubi answered.

Hikaru nearly choked on his Pepsi to death. "Soubi!" he scolded.

**"Master?! _Again?_"** Kio cried and gulped down his beer like he was trying to get drunk to get rid of that forbidden word from his memory.

"Eh?" Now, Hikaru was confused instead, "Kio-san, you know about th-the-"

"All I know is that Sou-chan is a real masochist, pervert, pedophile and BDSM lover!"

Again, Soubi only smiled in response. He admitted nothing, yet he didn't deny it as well. He sniggered as he saw Hikaru look at him as if he were questioning his sanity to take Soubi as his Fighter. "Don't worry, Hikaru. I'll be a good boy." he said while attempting to embrace Hikaru.

"Pervert!" the boy hit his head… and he liked it.

_Maybe I __**am**__ a masochist._

Hikaru turned to Kio. "So, you are an art student, like Soubi too?"

"Yup, we study at Tama Art University together. We're top students in the Japanese Painting Department, you know," Kio boasted.

Hikaru wowed. Then he studied them, looking unconvinced, "Really? Japanese painting?"

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Kio demanded. "You yourself don't look like a Go pro either!"

"Kio!" Soubi spoke in a hard tone.

"But, Sou-chan!" Kio whined.

"Sorry, sorry," Hikaru cut in, "You're right though. Shouldn't judge a book by its cover, right?" he held his can up high.

"Right!" Kio then did the same, "Cheers!"

They seemed to get along well-too well and Soubi didn't like that at all.

"Soubi? Hello?" Hikaru leaned close to him, waving his hand in front of his face to get his attention. "Earth to Soubi, earth to Soubi!"

"Hikaru."

"Hmm? Whaaaa!" he exclaimed as Soubi hastily tugged him closer, "What the!" But he didn't get a chance to finish the question as Soubi's lips pressed on his.

Kio split out his beer, **"Sou-chan!" **he cried.

**"Soubi! You, pervert!"** Hikaru cursed, hitting him on the head.

This was the second time of the night his master had knocked him.

_This is wonderful._ Soubi thought with a contented smile.

* * *

**Words:** 3430

**Special Thank: **sany, my beta.

**Important Announcement: "Turn back time" has been betaed by rebecca.**

* * *

**Glossary: **

**Lawson:** a convenient store like 7/11

**BDSM** is a complex acronym derived from the terms bondage and discipline (B&D, B/D, or BD), dominance and submission (D&S, D/S, or DS), sadism and masochism (S&M, S/M, or SM).

**For more detail about Go tournamen**t: Feel free to visit: http(colon)(slash)(slash)mewmeow(dot)hostrocket(dot)com(slash)

* * *

**izzy: **Lol, thank you.


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Hikaru no Go or Loveless.

"blahblahblah" Character's dialogue

_blahblahblah Character's thought_

/Sound effect/

* * *

**Chapter 5: Getting to know you**

Early June 2002,

The following Saturday, Japanese Go Association

"Sooou-channnn." Kio whined at him, evidently displeased.

"Yes, Kio?"

"I follow you here because you said you're going to somewhere _**interesting.**_" he stated.

"Ah-ha, and?"

"Is this what you call interesting?!" he shrieked, pointing at a hanging signboard at the entrance. **"Go Association! Go Association!"**

"I'm aware of that." Soubi said in a bored tone. "I'm the one who led you here, remember?"

"What are we doing at the Go Association then?" Kio waved his hands in the air dramatically. "It's Saturday! Hikaru won't—"

"Hikaru is here." Soubi cut in and breathed out puff of cigarette smoke. "There's some sort of a youth tournament today."

Kio sighed in defeat. "So this is the reason, huh? Bye, bye, my precious Saturday." he wept, his shoulders slumped in disappointment.

Soubi, knowing that the tears were fake, simply ignored him and entered the building.

Kio then immediately ran after him in a hurry, yelling. "Hey! Sou-chan, wait for me!"

A big board at the lobby was quickly noticed by the two guys, and they read out, "The 11th Young Lion Tournament: 2th Floor".

"So, Hikaru is your master now?" Hands in his back pockets, Kio asked bluntly while they waited for an elevator.

"Yes."_ I'm with Hikaru now._

"And Ritsuka?"

Soubi's answer was short and firm. "He's history."

"You dumped Ritsuka? My, my, what a heartless man you are!" Kio joked.

_I'm not the heartless one._

Once the elevator had finally arrived, Soubi hurried inside. Seeing that they were the only two occupants, Kio spoke up. "Well, maybe it's not good to say this but," he rubbed the back of his neck and confessed meekly, "I like Hikaru better."

At that, Soubi glared at him as if saying 'Don't you dare, I'll kill you!'

**"No, no, it's not like that!"** Kio held his hands up. "Let's see, Seimei is a sadist and Ritsuka is mature for a boy his age but he's sometimes too emotional." he elaborated. "Not that it's his fault, he's only twelve after all. Clearly, Hikaru is the best choice here!"

"Good, but don't get too close to Hikaru." Soubi warned. "He's mine." _Mine __and mine__ alone._

"Geez, you're such a—" Kio started but he was interrupted by the elevator's bell.

Soubi didn't wait for Kio to finish his rant. The moment they arrived on the second floor, he (almost) dashed out the elevator. He looked around, searching for a poster, a signboard, a notice— _**anything**_ that would guide him to where his master was. He saw many stalls selling books and paper fans and a large area with many sets of tables and chairs, with a wooden board on each table. However, there was no one playing the game there. _Where is everybody? _

"What a schedule! Shindou-kun and Touya-kun will play against each other in the second round!" a short man grumbled in frustration. "It'll be like a final round!"

A middle-aged man who was walking with him chuckled. "Don't be so disappointed, there're many other good players, like, Isumi-kun, for example."

Soubi and Kio eavesdropped on them quietly. Kio glanced up. "Well? Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Sou-chan?"

Soubi nodded in agreement. "Let's follow them."

* * *

11th Young Lion Tournament,

"Where the hell are we?" Kio whispered once they had reached the room. Soubi realized that his friend was feeling a bit out of place here. Most people here dressed in a suit; though some wore a casual suit, it's still a suit nevertheless. It was natural for Kio, who had dyed his hair green and had fourteen earrings, to feel alienated. Some old people was peeking at them and gossiping about their inappropriate outfits but Soubi cared not a whit. He cared for only one person, and that person was Shindou Hikaru.

He immediately spotted the said boy. No matter how full the room was and no matter where he was, he would always find his master. Hikaru, in a black-yellow long sleeved shirt and jeans, was surrounded by a group of teenagers, along with the complaining short man they saw earlier. "Hikaru." he called out in a whisper.

Hikaru jumped as if he had been shocked by a zap of electricity before slowly turning around. The moment their eyes met, the clocks stopped ticking and the world stopped spinning. It was like they were the only two people in this universe. Hikaru looked at him with surprise but Soubi knew that it wasn't his presence that surprised him; he was surprised because he was able to hear his silent call across the room, crammed full of people.

_A Sacrifice's and a Fighter's __voice __would __always reach each other, no matter how far they're apart._

Hikaru went through the crowd to join them. "You came!" he beamed.

"Of course. I won't miss it for sure." Soubi said with a smile while running his fingers through Hikaru's hair.

"Right, we're so _**eager**_ to be here." Kio said sarcastically.

"Kio."

"Shindou." a deep voice chimed in. It was Touya. "Hello, we meet again." Touya bowed a little.

Soubi didn't respond. His eyes narrowed as he noticed how close Touya was standing next to his Hikaru. _Their shoulders are almost touching._

It was at this moment when Soubi decided that he didn't like Touya Akira at all.

"The Young Lion Tournament will begin soon. All participants, please take your seat." a loud announcement boomed out of the speakers.

"Let's go, Shindou, it's time." Touya tugged Hikaru's arm and led him away. This was the second time he stole his Sacrifice away from him. First was when they had met at the seminar.

_And now this…_

_How dare he take Hikaru away? _

This was the moment that Touya Akira had just made himself an enemy–unintentionally.

"Errr, ano, Sou-chan," Kio spoke nervously, "Can you please **_not _**look at that kid like you're about to kill him? And can you stop acting like a jealous housewife for a second?"

But Soubi didn't hear him – he was too busy glaring at his latest enemy.

"Gezz, you're hopeless." Kio shook his head. "Let's go." With that, he dragged him to Hikaru's table.

* * *

At Hikaru's table

They stood in the front row since Soubi wanted to be close to his lord as much as he could. Hikaru's face showed nothing but calmness. With his eyes closed, he slowly breathed in and out. Soubi turned to study Hikaru's opponent who was sweating and shifting uneasily. He was a boy around Ritsuka's age. From what the board said, his name was Oga.

Soubi knew nothing about Go. He didn't know how to play it nor its rules but he did know that there was no way that his Hikaru would lose to a nervous opponent like this.

Once the signal rang, a voice declared. "Now the 11th Young Lion Tournament officially starts!"

"Please give me your guidance." said the participants in unison.

So, the game began.

And Hikaru eventually opened his eyes…

As if he had just initialized a magical fight, a surge of pressure spread around the area. The air was so tense it suffocated him.

Even the slow Kio felt it too. "Ne, Sou-chan, is it just me or does Hikaru look really, _**really**_ scary?" he whispered.

Soubi observed Hikaru. The Hikaru he knew was a cheerful boy who was always smiling and laughing.

But this Hikaru was different.

_I've never seen him this serious before._

His normal bright green eyes darkened, and its coldness sent a chilly shiver running through him. His playfulness was gone, and his face was set with determination. Even the way Hikaru held the stone was amazingly graceful. It was so different from that jumpy boy.

_His fingers… long and a little ta__nned__… so beautiful_

The Pachi sound rang as Hikaru placed a white stone on a board, waking Soubi from his trance.

_Like a cold blade that pierces through the air… this is Shindou Hikaru – Shindou Pro._

Both players took turns laying the stones; one stone, two stones, three stones, black and white stones gradually expanding on the wooden board. The match went on for another hour before Oga started shaking uncontrollably, "I-I resign." he stuttered.

Hikaru bowed and said. "Thank you for the game."

After the two boys had finished getting the stones back into their jars, Oga got up and left the room with haste.

Hikaru got up and stretched his arms. "So? How about having lunch together?" He asked Soubi with a grin, back to his old self again.

"Sure." Soubi smiled.

"Okay, let me get my friends first."

"Wait, Hikaru—"

Without hearing his protest, the boy ran off, shouting and waving his hand at his friend. "Hey, Waya!"

Soubi sighed. That wasn't what he meant.

Kio seemed to know what was on his mind so he said, "C'mon, Sou-chan, you can have him yourself anytime. Why don't you use this chance to get to know his friends?"

"Hmm, you've got a point there." Soubi agreed. _I want to know everything about you, Hikaru._

* * *

McDonalds,

"Hey, didn't we eat here last year?" a tall boy whom Soubi hadn't seen before pouted as they settled themselves around a table.

The sole girl in the group put down her tray and sat down. "Yup, it's becoming a tradition."

"A tradition to eat at McDonalds?" a short boy with glasses snorted, "What a pathetic tradition we're forming here."

"So, Shindou, who are your friends?" questioned a boy with orange hair.

"Right, guys, this is Soubi and Kio." Hikaru pointed them with his thumb.

"Yo boys and girl, I'm Kio Kaidou!" Kio spoke gleefully. "This is my friend, Agatsuma Soubi!"

"Let me introduce you to my friends," Hikaru gestured to his left to Touya who sat next to him, "This is Touya Akira, you've already met him. That's Isumi-san, Soubi, you met him once, remember?" He pointed at the man whom Soubi had briefly met at the seminar a while ago and continued in clockwise.

From what Soubi had gathered, Hikaru's group consisted of seven people, including Hikaru himself. First was Touya who was surprisingly close to Hikaru, considering that they were rivals; second was Waya who studied in the same private Go tutoring group with Hikaru; third was Isumi whom everyone labeled as the voice of reason of the gang; fourth was, the tall nerd-looking boy, Honda, who had just passed the exam; fifth was Ochi, who Waya described as a joy killer; the last two were Nase and Komiya, who were Insei (Hikaru explained that they were like pre-med students of the Go world).

"So, how do you know Shindou?" Nase inquired and took a small bite of her French-fry.

"Do you play Go too?" Touya posed a questioned but before Soubi or Kio could open their mouth, Hikaru retorted.

"Unlike you, Touya, being able to play Go isn't a quality that I require from my friends."

Touya answered back. "For your information, I do know people who don't play Go too."

"Oh, really? Then tell me who the lucky _**one**_ is." Hikaru challenged.

"Err," Touya thought for a moment before saying, "Ichikawa-san."

"That is sad, Touya." Hikaru shook his head in mock disappointment. "I told you before and I'll tell you again: you are **_obsessed_** with Go." he emphasized. "You need a life – _**a real life**_."

"I told you before and I'll tell you again." Touya recited Hikaru's words. "I'm _**not**_ obsessed with Go. And I **_do_** have a life."

"Boys, boys," Isumi spoke up, "Don't start a fight here. If you want to fight, do it on the Goban."

Hikaru smirked. "Fine, I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"Like that would ever happen." Touya sipped his drink.

"Seriously, I don't know what possessed me to invite you here with us." Hikaru said to no one in particular.

"That's what I asked you too." Waya muttered and bit into his hamburger.

_Hmm, sounds like he doesn't like Touya much either._ Soubi noted. _And he's like Hikaru's sempai, maybe he's worth to be acquainted with._

"Boys," Nase made an annoyed face, "Back to the topic – Shindou, how do you know Agatsuma-san and Kaidou-san?"

"Errr, " Hikaru hesitated, probably trying to find the right word to explain their relationship, "Soubi is a friend of my friend." he finally said it.

"Kio is my friend." Soubi added.

"So, Kaidou-san is a friend of a friend of a friend of Shindou?" Pointing at Kio with a piece of chicken McNugget, Komiya joked, "Sounds freaking complicated to me!"

Everybody laughed (except Soubi).

* * *

Lunch went on peacefully without any bickering. After that, they all went back to the game room.

Soubi found out that Hikaru's next opponent wasn't a stranger. It was Touya Akira, who he had just had lunch with less than twenty minutes ago.

The crowd gathering around their seats was so much thicker than Hikaru's first match that Soubi couldn't get through them to be at the front, like the previous round. Fortunately since he was tall, he was still able to see Hikaru from afar.

None of Hikaru's friends was here since they had their own game to play. However, the short man and his middle-aged friend were there, as well asOga, the boy who had just lost to Hikaru .

"What do you think of this game, Shinoda-Sensei?" the whiny man who stood in front of them inquired.

"It's hard to tell, Kosemura-kun." the man called Shinoda-Sensei answered. "You see, Touya-kun's style is aggressive, as we had often witnessed how he strikes his opponents and make them fall to pieces. Shindou-kun, however, is what we call the manipulative type. Rather than attacking the opponent, he tends to set a trap first before attacking the opponent's stones when the right time comes. They are both very determined and equal in reading the game, yet, their Go are completely different. This is why it's hard to predict the outcome." he analyzed.

Now that he heard all this, Soubi was able to understand Hikaru much better. His assumption was right all along.

Hikaru was no fool.

When the signal rang, Touya played his first move.

_It's happening again. _

The overwhelming intensity from both boys was smashing against each other, suffocating him. Soubi knew this feeling; it was like when two territories of two Fighters overlapped.

Each Fighter has his own magical territory. The stronger a Fighter is, the wider his territory. If another Fighter enters his territory, their magical aura would collide, making both of them realize that there is another Fighter in the same area.

Soubi had thought that the first game was very intense but it was nothing compared to this one. _Like the pressure has been magnified ten times. _

The game went on. As strange as it may sound, Soubi felt as if he were watching the two of them fighting with swords when, in fact, they were simply putting stones on a board.

Unlike the first match which had ended in no time, this game carried on for nearly two hours (Kio hadn't stopped whining for even a minute about getting his feet stiff ). Then Soubi felt a gentle pat on his shoulder. If it wasn't Isumi, who was one of his master's friends, Soubi would have knocked him out for having the guts to touch him.

"So, how's it going?" Isumi questioned.

"I don't even know what they are doing!" Kio managed to complain in a low voice.

"Hikaru told me about the basics though." Soubi informed both of them,."The one who gains more territory wins, right?"

"Yup." Waya, who suddenly appeared at Kio's side, voiced out.

_Maybe __it's_ _time to learn more about my Sacrifice._

"So, how long have you known him?" Soubi asked.

"Shindou, you mean?" Waya asked.

"Yes." _Of course I m__eant__ Hikaru._

"About two years ago when he joined the Insei class." Waya replied. "Hey, Isumi-san, remember when Shindou bragged about being Touya's rival?"

"No one believed him back then." Isumi chuckled at the memory. "In the end, it turnedout to be true."

"Why didn't anyone believe him?" Kio seemed interested in the story as well; perhaps because it was more interesting than the game he knew nothing about.

"Well, you see, Touya is a very well-known and very strong player. He's even better than some Higher-Dan, err, I mean, Higher-Level players." Waya explained. "And Shindou? He's a just newbie who didn't know how many titles there were. But he said about being the rival of the strongest pro in our generation."

"And then?" Kio urged him to go on.

"He passed the exam with no losses. No one but Touya managed to achieve that." Isumi supplied. "Then Touya Meijin, Touya's father, requested to play a game with him in the Beginner Dan Series." he paused before adding. "It's a welcoming game for new pros."

"Did he win?" Soubi wondered, hoping that his Hikaru did.

"Nope, he didn't. You don't get it. This is Touya Meijin we're talking about. He's one of the best players in the world." Waya continued on. "However, just the fact that Touya Meijin wanted to play against a twelve-year-old brat was more than enough to make the public keep their eyes on him."

"And then?" Kio pressed on.

"He started his career as a Go pro. He won his two first games then." Turning his head away, Isumi refused to tell the story any further.

"Then what?" Kio continued pushing them.

"Suddenly he stopped coming to the Association. He just disappeared. He skipped his games in that summer." Recalling the past, Waya frowned. "Then one day, he came back."

"Later, after we ganged up on him." Isumi flushed pink, ashamed by their behavior, "He finally told us that he skipped the tournament because his friend has just passed away and he was too depressed to play."

_Fujiwara._

"Stupid Shindou," Waya cursed, "If only he had told us." he clenched his fist irately.

"Well, sometimes we have to solve the problem by ourselves." Isumi shrugged. "It doesn't matter now **–** he's back."

"Yeah – oh!" Waya exclaimed, "It ended! Who's the winner?"

Touya and Hikaru gazed at each other and begun counting the stones. With his eyes shut, Hikaru leaned back in his chair. Sighing, he rested his hand on his forehead, "You win, by a moku."

Immediately, the room was filled with voices – both Hikaru's and Touya's supporters had started talking and discussing about the game.

"See? Touya-kun is better."

"Just a moku, what a pity."

"Touya Akira is our hope."

"Did you see the cut Shindou made in the Chuban?"

"When the next round will start?" Hikaru asked Touya while they were picking the stones back in the jars.

Touya replied. "In twenty minutes."

"We'll discuss about this game the next time I drop by your salon then." Hikaru suggested.

"Sounds good to me."

"Hey," he leaned forward, "Why don't you buy me a drink?"

"Why should I?" Still clearing the board, Touya demanded without looking up.

"Don't be so mean, Touya." Hikaru pouted. "You've just beaten me. Can't you just buy me a drink to cheer me up?"

"Fine." Touya stood up and went outside the room.

_Getting a drink for Hikaru, I guess. _

Hikaru stood up and said to Waya. "Oh man, I lost."

Waya was grinning like a mad man, he didn't seem sad for his best friend's loss at all. "Morishita-Sensei's gonna be _**sooo **_mad!"

"Thank for reminding me that, geez!" Hikaru swore.

"You did your best, Shindou." Isumi comforted him. "It was a very impressive game."

"Thanks, Isumi-san," Hikaru turned to Soubi, "I invited you here to see me losing, how embarrassing! But next time, I'm gonna win for sure!"

"You should stop saying that, you know." Touya's dry voice came from behind them, in his hands there were two cans of black coffee. "It's getting lame."

"Tsk!" Hikaru snatched one of the cans. He opened it and took a large gulp. "I hate coffee, you know it."

"You're welcome." With that, Touya walked away from the group.

"So what's next?" Kio spoke up.

"Huh?"

"Now that you lost, can we go home already?"

"Kio." Soubi scolded.

"I'm sorry, Kio-san." Hikaru rubbed the back of his head, showing guilt. "You must be very tired. It's Saturday, and you should have been going out, not standing, watching me play for hours like this –doesn't help that I lost a game too."

"Don't mind him." Soubi patted his head gently. "He's being rude like always."

"Hey!" Kio protested, "I'm not rude!"

But Soubi ignored him. "I'll stay here with you."

"But it could be very late. I'm intending to stay until they finish the final round. That means three more games to go before going home."

"I'll st— "

"Oh! There you are, Shindou-kun!" Kosemura jogged towards them.

"Yes, Kosemura-san?" Hikaru asked.

Kosemura panted heavily. "Can, can you give me a short interview after the closing ceremony?"

"Eh?" Hikaru looked confused at first before frowningwith disapproval. "Do you think it's a good idea? I lost in the second round. Aren't you supposed to interview those who play in the final round?"

"Well, actually, yes." Kosemura admitted it, "But I wanna interview you and Touya-kun!"

"Touya too?"

"Yup! And he's already said yes!" the short man said enthusiastically, he reminded Soubi of a child asking his father to go out to play with his friends.

"Well, in that case, okay then."

"Good, see ya!" With that, Kosemura left their group.

_He's a journalist? And he wants to interview Hikaru?_

"He is pretty famous in this world." Ritsu had told him when he had first mentioned Hikaru.

_Look__s__ like Ritsu-Sensei's news is true. My Hikaru is quite a celebrity. _

"Ohhh, I don't know you were a star, Hikaru!" Kio beamed. "Cool!"

"Touya is." Hikaru corrected him and shrugged. "I'm just a tag-along."

"I don't think so." Soubi disagreed. If he wasn't any good, why would that journalist want to interview him, he knew that the boy was just trying to be modest. "He seemedso eager to interview you."

"Wait a minute!" a sudden thought hit Kio, "Does it mean that we're gonna stay here even longer?!" he cried out frantically.

"You can go back if you want." Soubi spoke coldly.

"Are you kicking me away, Sou-chan?" Kio's usual whine came out.

Soubi did throw Kio out. Although Kio was quite angry that his Sou-chan had dismissed him, he was glad to leave as he could do something more entertaining than standing and watching a game he had no idea about. Soubi continued to observe game after game with Hikaru.

And Hikaru tried his best to be a good host. Every now and then, he would explain a game to Soubi but mostly he just stood in silence, captivated by the game.

The tournament ended with Touya Akira as a winner. Soubi heard that this was his third time winning the tournament. Some even said that the champion had already been decided after the second round, when he and Hikaru had faced each other. The closing ceremony was short. Touya received a certificate and the prize money for 200,000 Yen. It was a large amount for a fifteen-year-old boy, considering that he gained it by merely playing a board game for a day.

As promised, while other players and the audience had gone home already, Touya and Hikaru stayed behind to give an interview to Kosemura. Kosemura congratulated Touya as he had managed to win the tournament three years in a row. He asked them what they thought about the game they had played in the second round and, consoled Hikaru (who didn't look sad from the defeat at all). His last questions were about their tournaments. Apparently, both of them competed in other tournaments as well. After the interview, much too Hikaru's annoyance, Soubi walked him home.

"Maybe I should learn Go too." Soubi said it to himself.

Hikaru caught what he had said. "If that's what Soubi wants, then I'm willing to teach." he said with a gentle smile.

To say that Soubi was taken aback would be an understatement. Forget Seimei, not even Ritsuka had ever said that to him.

It was wrong.

A Fighter did what his Sacrifice wanted, not the other way round.

Yet a part of his traitorous heart was overjoyed that Hikaru cared for him.

But it was still wrong.

_I must fix this._ Soubi stopped walking and call out. "Hikaru."

"I know what you're gonna say." the boy cut him off, still walking. "A master shouldn't care what his dog wants, right?" he looked up to the sky as if questioning God himself.

Soubi kept quiet in response. If Hikaru already knew about that, then… why?

Then Hikaru stopped, turningback to face him and said. "You're always smiling but I know you're faking it. You may be smiling but your eyes tell me that you're crying. I want you to be happy."

_Me? Happy?_

"I don't care what you think. You may think that as a servant you don't deserve it but I want you to be happy."

_Hikaru…_

"If there's anything I can do, I'll do it! I want you to be happy."

"Hikaru…" Soubi whispered.

_Such a kind heart..._

_Such straightforward eyes…_

_If only those eyes __would__ look at no one but me – me alone._

* * *

**Words:** 4225

**AN:** Yeah, Soubi is possessive.

PS: I also crosspost this fic in HNG section, that's why I tried my best to describe about Loveless's characters and fighting system for HNG fans who don't know Loveless.

* * *


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Hikaru no Go or Loveless.

"blahblahblah" Character's dialogue

_blahblahblah Character's thought_

/Sound effect/

* * *

**Chapter 6: To the Fighters' School**

Two weeks later, Mid-June 2002, Hikaru's bedroom

"Ahh," Hikaru stretched himself lazily on his bed after their Go lesson had ended. It had been two weeks since Soubi started his Go lessons with Hikaru.

Since Soubi didn't own a Go board, Hikaru had brought him to his house. He had also introduced him to his mother. As he had anticipated, Hikaru's mom was ten times better than Ritsuka's. She had welcomed him with a smile and asked him to take care of her son. However, despite her warm hospitality, what had bugged Soubi the most was that she didn't seem surprised or curious how her 15-year-old son had chummed up with a 20-year-old art student – not to mention that they were close enough for Hikaru to bring him home.

That led to only one conclusion**:** Hikaru had done this before. He had brought another guy than Soubi to his house so often that his mother considered it normal. Soubi didn't have to try, he knew who that person was.

Fujiwara Sai.

Hikaru had taken him to his room, and the room reflected its owner well. It was a combination of a normal teenage boy's life and a Go Pro's life. Several volumes of manga were scattered on the floor, while Go books and Go record papers (which, as Soubi will learn later, are called 'Kifu') were arranged neatly on the desk. The latest Play Station and a Go board stood next to each other on the floor.

"You're a fast learner; I'm impressed." Hikaru praised. In fact, said statement wasn't quite right. During the first week, Soubi hadn't had the slightest idea what the hell he was doing. His skill had hardly progressed. It didn't come as a surprise though; he didn't like the game. He wasn't even interested in the game. He only wanted to spend more time with Hikaru. He just wanted Go to connect them together the way it tied Touya and Fujiwara to Hikaru. With that kind of thought, it was normal that he made no development. Although Hikaru loved Go, to him, it was just a boring game for old men who had nothing better to do after their retirement butplay a board game or sip tea with his friends.

But then again, Hikaru, being an experienced teacher, had found away to attract his attention to Go.

000000000000000000000000000000000000Flashback started000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

A week ago,

"You call it _**a life and death problem**_?" Soubi said with a disapprovingtone during their lesson.

"Yes."

"Go can be _**intense**_ but it isn't _**a life and death**_ matter." he voiced out his opinion. "When we fight in the battle, _**that**_'s whatis considered as _**a life and death**_ situation."

"Go is similar to a magical battle more than you think." Hikaru tried to be persuasive. "When you fight, you analyze the opponent. Then you decide what do to – whether you should attack or defense? Lastly, you cast the spell." he went on, "Same goes for Go.

When you play your turn, you don't just put down a stone. You must read the opponent's mind, speculate his next move and play your hand. If you attack, you make sure that the opponent's stone is completely dead, cut all escape routes and make sure that the opposite stone can no longer breathe. With each strike, you _**kill. **_If you decide to play defense, make sure that your shield will never be broken and that can be used as a counter attack later."

0000000000000000000000000000000000Flashback ended000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Now that Hikaru had put it this way, playing Go _**was**_ similar to a combat fight. He was starting to get interested. The rules may be different but both share the same basic: fighting.

And fighting was what Soubi did best.

"If you're good enough, you will be able to manipulate the opponent and use his stones as yours. It's a satisfying feeling, believe me." Hikaru had told him with a playful wink.

Okay, now Soubi was _**really**_ interested. He liked to twist his enemy's spell and use it against him too.

Soubi had been always curious as towhy Ritsu had recommended Hikaru. Many Sacrifices lost their Fighters from either diseases or accidents (or murder, like Hikaru's case) because they are still mortals – even with the power they possess. They cannot escape death. Ritsu was a good example: he had lost his Fighter in a car accident. To be more accurate, both Soubi and Ritsu had lost Soubi's mother in that accident.

Now he understood why Ritsu had chosen Hikaru for him. Hikaru and he were so alike. Although their reasons for fighting were different, as Soubi fought to survive while Hikaru fought to reach God, their styles were strikingly similar. They would become the strongest team, he knew.

"Soubi," Hikaru called.

Soubi climbed on the bed where Hikaru was lying. _So tempting._ "Yes?"

"I wanna go to the Seven Voices Academy." Hikaru declared.

That really killed the mood.

"What?"

"I want to meet that Ritsu guy."

"Why?" _Why __**him**__?_

"Because it's the way I do things. When I play in the tournament, before the game comes, I do a research. I gather information about what kind of a man my future opponent is. I study his Kifu to figure out his strengths, his weaknesses, and even his favorite hand so that I can predict his movement and come up with aplan to win against him. I'm always well prepared. But right now, I feel so insecure. Hell, I don't even know what I am capable of. I don't know what a Sacrifice should know. You fought alone back then. I just stood there gaping like an idiot. Plus, since then, there hasn't been anyother team challenging us. I don't have any experience in fighting and I don't like it." he paused to take a lungful of air."I don't like it at all." he continued. "If I have to fight someone, I wanna make sure that I fight him in my best state."

"You want to join the Academy? You want to start the training?"

"I haven't thought about that yet. But it seems that you don't wanna talk about Se—" he heldhis tongue and corrected his speech, "that you don't know about Sacrifices as much as that Ritsu guy so I think I'd better go there and ask the man himself."

_He's lying, he knows that I don't like talking about Seimei or Ritsuka. _"If that's what Hikaru wants." _My master is such a caring boy. _

But what Hikaru didn't know was that being there again wouldhurt Soubi more than anything.

But then again, Soubi liked the pain.

* * *

Going to the Seven Voices Academy in Goura did bring back bad old memories. Less than three months ago Soubi had sat in this very same backseat of this very same car with Ritsuka. When his former Sacrifice had announced his wish to go to the Academy, Soubi had intended to borrow a car from Kio and drive them there himself. Kio, however, had tagged along with them, saying that since it was his car, he had the right to join their trip too. Just like before, Kio has used the same excuse again. Right now he was in the front seat, driving and complaining.

"Why are we going there again? Didn't the last time teach you anything?" Kio demanded.

_I encountered Nisei and you got captured but…_ "Hikaru wants to go there." Soubi answered.

It was a short reply but it was more than enough. "Ahhh, I see," Kio pouted. "Sou-chan is kind to everybody except me! It's so unfair!" he whined.

"Sorry for the trouble, Kio-san." Hikaru moved closer to Kio's seat at the front.

Kio looked at the teenage boy's apologetic face and sighed. Soubi secretly smiled. If one were to look into those dazzling green eyes, one wouldn't be able to say no. "It's nothing." Kio said. "Don't worry, it's a part of a good wife's duty anyway, right, Sou-chan?"

_I didn't hear that._ "Goura is in Hakone, less than 100 kilometers from Tokyo. By car, we should reach there within two hours." Soubi informed Hikaru.

"Hey! Don't ignore me!"

Kio drove along the same road. They passed the same mountain, the same towns; everything was the same. They even took a short break to buy snacks at the same supermarket. Soubi remembered this place well. It was where Ritsuka had ordered him to strip off his shirt right in the middle of the parking so that he could see his scars, the proof of Seimei's sadism.

* * *

"So what happened the last time when you went to the Academy?" Hikaru asked Kio. Right now, Soubi was still in the supermarket, searching for his favorite brand of chips so he was using this as a chance to ask Kio about what Soubi didn't mention.

"Didn't he tell you?"

"Not much," Hikaru shrugged. "He said that he went there with Ritsuka once and they met Seimei, who was supposed to be dead, and Nisei there."

"I see," Kio uttered. "Well, they got into a fight, that's all."

Hikaru frowned, his Go player's sixth sense told him that Kio was hiding something – something important. "Is there anything that I should know?"

"If you want to know everything, why don't you just order Soubi to tell you?" Kio questioned back. "He will, you know, if you order him to. You are his master; he will do anything you tell him to. He's a submissive masochist, a hardcore one, I'm telling you."

"I believe in human equality." Hikaru replied. "I am taught that it's wrong for a person to rule another. I don't like to order people around."

"Quite a contradicting boy you are. You said those beautiful words but you become his _**master**_ anyway." Kio remarked.

"To tell you the truth, I don't quite understand myself either," this was the first time Hikaru spoke it out, "but when I looked into his eyes, it was so empty. It was like he had no reason to live. He's the kind of guy that needs to live for someone rather than himself. I had a feeling that if I let things go on like that without doing something, it may have led to his self-destruction."

"You know what, for a bratty-looking boy, you're very observant." Kio gave him a compliment, although it was quite a sarcastic one.

"That's what I do for a living. As a Go pro, if you're ignorant, you're doomed."

"Ah-ha, I see."

"And that's why I becamehis master, as you and he put it; although I consider myself as his guide. You have to admit that that guy need to be ordered around and smacked at the head from time to time since he lacks common sense."

"Hah! Tell me about it!" Kio laughed.

"Besides, I just can't bear seeing him wither that way." Hikaru looked at the entrance of the supermarket. Soubi had finally found his chips. "So here I am."

"You're kind, kid. I'm glad that Soubi has someone like you by his side." Kio uttered, gazing at Soubi, who was heading towards them.

"In that case, so are you."

"Of course, I am!" Kio grinned wildly.

"And a modest one too!" then they laughed together.

"It seems that youtwo are getting along well." Soubi commented dryly.

"Oh, Sou-chan, are you jealous?" Kio jumped at him, giving him a hug. "Don't worry, Sou-chan! You are the only one in my heart!"

Soubi simply took no notice of his friend and handed Hikaru a bag of chips. "I've got your chips, Hikaru."

"Hey! You're doing it again! Pay attention to me, Sou-chan!"

And so, they left the supermarket and continued their trip. Soon afterwards**, **they arrived at their destination, the Seven Voices Academy, the school for Fighters and Sacrifices. Since they didn't allow Kio, a normal man with no power, to roam in the building, Kio dropped them off at the entrance and went to Goura Park, the well-known rose garden in the town.

* * *

From the outside, there was nothing special about the Academy. There were two buildings and a large garden that resembled a small wood more than a garden. Soubi led Hikaru into the building at the front. Once they were inside, he went to talk to a receptionist, leaving Hikarusitting on a sofa, waiting for him. After they finished talking, Soubi went back to him and gave him a key.

Looking at the key in his palm, Hikaru frowned. "What is this?"

"It's a key."

"I know it's a key!" he retorted. "But what's it for?"

"It's a key for our room." Soubi answered.

"Our room?" Hikaru exclaimed. " What you do mean by 'our room'? We don't have a plan to stay a night here!"

"Just in case; you never know what might happen." Soubi stated with a serious look. "Besides, we'll have a private place to rest, if we need to."

"Hmmm," _What happened last time bothers him. _"Fine."

"What do you want to do next? Would you like me to give you a tour around the Academy or—"

"I want to talk to Ritsu Minami." he cut Soubi off. "You did tell him about our arrival, didn't you?"

Soubi looked uncomfortable before saying. "I called him yesterday. He should be in the principal room waiting for us."

"Good, lead the way then." Hikaru commanded.

Soubi responded with a firm nod. "Understood."

Hikaru followed Soubi to the said room. He looked at Soubi's broad back with guilt overwhelming his heart. He wasn't completely honest with Soubi. His excuse was that he wanted to know more about a power of a Sacrifice but the truth was that he wanted to know more about Soubi. It's not only for himself, but also for the sake of the both of them.

Hikaru knew that apart from himself and Kio, there were three other people who played a major part in Soubi's lonely life. First was Seimei, Soubi's first Sacrifice who left him for a guy called Nisei – the one who was meant to be the Beloved Fighter from the very beginning. He knew how much Soubi worshipped Seimei and how much it hurt him for getting dumped, but Hikaru couldn't help it. He wanted to know more about Seimei because he was the one who killed Sai. Contrary from popular belief, Shindou Hikaru was neither a hotheaded nor a reckless person. He was a very prudent young man. Rather than start hunting the murderer like a mad man, he decided it would be wiser to wait. Seimei branded Soubi as traitor now; he would attack him sooner or later. Why wasting his energy in chasing after him? All he had to do was to wait until Seimei appear before him. Then he would take his revenge. However, in order to do that, he needed to know everything about the man first.

The second person thatSoubi held dear in his heart was Ritsuka, Seimei's little brother and Soubi's second Sacrifice, who also discarded him for his real Loveless Fighter. Just like Seimei, Ritsuka was a touchy subject. Still, Kio talked about him sometimes. According to Kio, Ritsuka was nothing like his cold-hearted older brother. He was very considerate and forgiving.

However, since it brought pain to Soubi whenever he mentioned of the Aoyagi brothers, it left him no choice but to come over here to ask Ritsu himself.

Ritsu Minami was the last one in the list. He was the head master of this Academy who adopted Soubi after he lost his parents in a car accident when he was five year old. Hikaru didn't know what happened between them. It seemed that Ritsu was always willing to offer Soubi help whenever he needed, yet, Soubi hated him deeply.

Despite Soubi's dislike, Hikaru wanted to know everything about the relationship between Soubi and the three of them. Moreover, Hikaru wanted to know more about Sai.

Sai had never talked about his childhood and he had always been curious about it. Now was the chance to find out about it. What was he like when he was a kid? Was he happy to be a Fighter? What was his training like? Had he ever gotten injured? Did he have any close friend? If so, who was the lucky one?

Was it a crime to befriend with him?

Just because they were a Fighter and a Sacrifice, they couldn't be friends?

Did Ritsu believe that Sai deserved to die too?

"Here we are." Soubi said while they finally reached the room. Above the wooden door, agolden sign said, 'Principal's room'.

"Let's go." Hikaru said. At that, Soubi opened the door without knocking.

* * *

The sight before them was a man looking out of a large window in a room full of butterflies.

_There're stuffed butterflies everywhere… on all four walls…_

The man turned around from the window, his arms opened wide in greeting. "Ahhh, Soubi-kun. I'm so glad to see you here. I've been waiting for you."

Ritsu Minami was a good-looking man. He looked very young for a man in his late thirties. His appearance was beautiful and feminine. His light brown hair looked so soft and his silver glasses gleamed as the light shone on it_. Soubi will definitely hate me for saying this but they look so similar._

Soubi brushed Ritsu off and spoke to him instead. "Hikaru, this is the principal of the Seven Voices Academy, Ritsu Minami. He's also a member of the Seven Moons."

The head master moved closer. "You must be Shindou-kun. Finally, we meet." He offered his hand but before Hikaru could take it, Soubi forcefully slapped it away.

"Soubi!"

"Don't you touch him." Soubi hissed, holding Hikaru with his strong arm.

Amused, Ritsu gently rubbed his hand where he was hit. "Still as adorable as I remember."

_This is not good. _"Why don't you go and meet your friends while we talk?" Hikaru suggested, knowing that Soubi would protest for sure.

"Hikaru!"

"I'll call you if I want your help. You can hear my voice wherever you are, right?"

"Yes."

"See? There's nothing to worry." Still in Soubi's embrace, he gave his worried Fighter a reassuring smile.

Soubi turned to Ritsu. "If you even lay one finger on a strand of his hair, I will kill you." he threatened, glaring at him with hatred.

Ritsu merely shrugged.

Soubi looked at Hikaru in his arms, kissed his cheek and said lovingly. "Call me when you want anything, ok?"

"Hai, hai." Hikaru waved his hand to cast him out the room. _Man, he __kissed__ me again! In front of __an__other __person__as well__! I'll lecture him about proper etiquette later. _

Soubi reluctantly left the room. Once Hikaru was alone with Ritsu, Ritsu said with a creepy smile, strongly reminding him of Ogata. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company, Shindou Hikaru-kun?"

* * *

**Words:** 3190

**AN:** Stay tune!

**Special thank:** Sany and Noemie

* * *


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer : I don't own Hikaru no Go or Loveless.

"xxxxxxxxxx" Character's talking

_xxxxxxxxxxxx _Character's thoughts

* * *

**Chapter 7: Many people they meet in Goura**

In the principal's room

"There're many things that I want to ask you, Ritsu-san." Hikaru said.

"Is that so?"

"Like why do Fighters and Sacrifices exist? Why do we have to fight? What's the meaning of all of this? You even built a school for this purpose, so it must be something important… What the hell is the Seven Moons anyway?"

"Hmm, you weren't kidding when you told me that there were many things you wanted to ask me." Ritsu seemed amused. With his arms crossed, he casually leaned back against his expensive wooden desk. "It's such a pity that I can't answer any of those questions. Once the time comes, the truth will be revealed."

Hikaru looked into Ritsu's unwavering eyes and sighed. Now he knew where Soubi got that eerie smile and poker face from. _I'm not gonna go back home empty handed!_ "What about Aoyagi Seimei then?" Seeing Ritsu flicking an interested look at him, he continued. "You must have realized by now that I'm not on good terms with him, and from what I've heard, you're not his fan either. Surely, you won't mind sharing his information with me, right?"

Ritsu smirked at that. He took off his glasses and said. "What do you want to know then, Shindou-kun? Or should I call you 'Shindou-2-Dans?"

* * *

In the corridor.

Soubi was smoking when a voice called out his name. "Soubi? Isn't that Soubi?"

Two boys sprinted in his direction. One had blue-green straight long hair, the other had red-brown wavy long hair and wore an eye patch. He knew them well.

"Hi, Youji. Hi, Natsuo." Youji and Natsuo, both twelve, were a team. Their name was Zero. Youji was the Sacrifice, and Natsuo was the Fighter. Negisa-Sensei, Ritsu's rival, had sent them to defeat him but they got defeated by him instead. However, by a strange twist of fate, they became friends.

"What are you doing here?" Natsuo wondered.

Soubi breathed out the smoke and answered. "Hikaru wants to have a talk with Ritsu."

Youji and Natsuo exchanged puzzled looks. "Hikaru?"

"Hikaru? Who?" Youji asked.

"My Sacrifice." Soubi replied shortly.

At that, both boys burst out laughing. **"Hahahaha!"**

"Again? How many times did you change your Sacrifice?" Youji asked mockingly between laughters. "You change your Sacrifice as often as you change your bed partner! The only difference is that you are the one who gets dumped everytime!"

"Hahaha, well, you gotta give him credits for this, Youji." Natsuo added. "He can find a replacement in no time!"

Youji and Natsuo often said cruel things, but Soubi knew they meant no harm.

"It's rare for you two to laugh out loud like this." Another familiar voice chimed in.

He recognized this voice too. He remembered it by the heart.

"What is-" The owner of the voice froze the moment he saw him. "Soubi." He was a cute short boy with black medium-length hair and big round black eyes. His name was…

"Ritsuka."

* * *

"So he sneaked into this Academy to steal some information?" Hikaru summed up. Ritsu had just finished the story of the Aoyagi brothers.

"Yes." Ritsu assured him.

Hikaru continued. "But the information he stole is too random, you don't know what he's aiming for or what he's gonna do next."

"That's right."

"That's not good." The young Go pro said it with a sigh.

"Tell me about it." The blond principal muttered while lighting a cigarette.

"Still, thank you for telling me about the Aoyagis. That's very useful." Hikaru paused for a brief moment. "But there's another thing I want to ask you." _One more thing, the most important one._

"My, my, aren't you a boy full of questions?" Ritsu sniggered.

"Sai." Hikaru stated, glaring at the older man intensely.

* * *

"Soubi." Ritsuka said his name again.

Soubi said nothing. All he could do was gaze at the boy who had once promised him of a happily ever after but then had coldly broken his words.

"Ritsuka-kunnnn, where are you?" another familiar voice rang out in the hallway. A tall grade six girl with big boobs appeared from a corner. He knew her too. She was the Loveless Fighter, Ritsuka's real Fighter, Hawatari Yuiko. Yuiko studied at the same school as Ritsuka and had told him once that she had fallen in love with Ritsuka the moment the boy had walked into their class.

"It's love at first sight." She said with a dreamy look in her eyes. "I love Ritsuka-kun. I'll do whatever to make him happy, even if I have to die."

Back then, Soubi thought that it was just a silly puppy love. But he had been wrong. Although Yuiko hadn't realized that she was the Loveless Fighter, her instincts had told her that she was meant to be with Ritsuka and that she was born to protect him with her life.

"**Soubi-san!"** Yuiko cried happily. She ran to him, grabbed his hands and shook them up and down forcefully. " Soubi-san! It's been a while! Where have you been? Why didn't you come to visit us at school? Were you busy painting again? Ritsuka-kun and I decided to come here to take fighting lessons during the weekends, you know. And you? What are you doing here? Did you know that- " she babbled non-stop.

Soubi observed the girl indifferently. How could she act so friendly with him after she had taken Ritsuka? Didn't she realize how much pain she and Ritsuka had caused him?

The girl was overexcited. She had no self-control. He always found it annoying but he hadn't voiced it out loud since she was Ritsuka's best friend.

But things were different now.

He smoothly freed his hands from her grip. "Can you not touch me? I don't like to be touched, especially by you."

* * *

"When you told Seimei about Sai's _**disgrace**_," Hikaru laced the word with anger, disgust and sarcasm, "did you know that he would kill Sai for that?"

"If you're asking me if I had planed Sai's death. Then the answer is no." This was the first time Ritsu had ever displayed any emotion-and it was guilt. "However, I must admit that I didn't approve of his behavior. What a waste, he had talent, but never attempted to use them." he grumbled. "Sai wasn't a good student like Soubi, but he was still my student. I didn't want to see him hurt, let alone get killed."

"Then why-" Hikaru demanded through gritting teeth as he could barely control his fury. _Why?_ "Why did you tell him? If you didn't, Sai would...Sai would..." _Sai would have been alive._

"It's natural for you to blame me for what had happened. It's partly my fault after all." Ritsu shrugged. "But I'm not going to apologize. I'm not going to say sorry." he stated.

_What? _**"How dare you?!"**

The older man stood up straight and declared. "If Sai hadn't died, Soubi-kun wouldn't have had you as his Sacrifice."

**"What?"** Hikaru hastily rose up. _**"You!"**_ He was so mad that he didn't even know what to say.

"Soubi-kun is such a wonderful Fighter. He's flawless. He's perfect." Ritsu slowly approached Hikaru and stood face to face with the teen. "He deserves the best and I always chose the best for him. In this case, it's you."

Forgetting that behind him was the sofa, Hikaru unconsciously took few steps back and fell down on the sofa. "You-" _This guy, he's crazy_.

Ritsu bent over and caressed his cheek with the back of his hand. "Like Seimei, you're smart and decisive. But unlike him, you're kind. That kid, Ritsuka is kind too but he's too soft." he fingered Hikaru's lips with his thumb. "He's quite good but you're better."

Hikaru swept Ritsu's hand away. "Our conversation ends here." He snatched his backpack and headed to the door. "Now I understand why Soubi dislikes you so much." He quickly left the room to find Soubi.

* * *

"Eh?" Yuiko stared at him in shock and embarrassment.

"I said I don't like to be touched." Soubi repeated with a cruel smile.

"Err, sor, sorry, Soubi-san. I just thought that-" the sixth grade school girl stammered. "Well, in the past, we always did that and you didn't say anything so I thought..." she spoke softly with her head hanging down.

"I had always hated being touched by you." Soubi said. He didn't care if it hurt the girl. It couldn't compare to what she had done to him. "I just never said it."

"**Soubi!"** Ritsuka reprimanded. "How could you say something like that to Yuiko?"

"Rit-Ritsuka-kun, calm down." Yuiko threw herself on Ritsuka and hugged him tightly. "It's okay, Yuiko isn't mad at Soubi-san or anything." she said with tears in her eyes.

"But he's being rude, Yuiko!" Ritsuka marked. "How could you say something so cruel to Yuiko! Apologize immediately!" he commanded.

"No." Soubi threw the finished cigarette to the floor, _Three months ago, I would have complied to your order but…_

"Soubi…" Ritsuka was taken aback. The boy was clearly surprised since he had never disobeyed him before. But then again, things had changed now-Ritsuka was no longer his master.

"Tsk, tsk, Ritsuka, poor you." Youji's arm hung loosely around Ritsuka's neck. "You're not Soubi's favorite person anymore."

"That's right." Natsuo joined in. "Ne, ne, you know, Soubi has a new Sacrifice!"

"What?" Risuka exclaimed.

"That's why he's here!" Youji chatted loudly. "His new Sacrifice, Hikaru-something is in the principal's room with Ritsu-Sensei!"

Risutka gave Soubi an inquiring look and saw that he, Soubi, had no intention of saying anything. Ritsuka finally asked it, out loud, with Yuiko hiding behind his back. "Is that true, Soubi?"

"Yes." _There is no reason to deny it._

"Soubi?" A new voice rang out.

_It seems that we're getting more and more guests for this little chitchat._

The new comers were not strangers. It was the Breathless pair. The first team that Soubi and Ritsuka had encountered. Arai Midori, a boy with short blond hair, would always be found with his violet-haired girl Fighter, Myoujin Ai.

"Hey! Good timing!" Youji dragged Midori to the group.

"Wait, wait!" Mirodi exclaimed, startled.

"Midori!" Ai called out.

"We're talking about Soubi's new Sacrifice!" Natsuo told them.

"Eh?" The Breathless pair uttered.

"Hahaha, this is great! Don't you think so, Youji?" Natsuo laughed.

"Yeah! First, Ritsuka chucked Soubi! Now, Soubi chucked Ritsuka!" Youji put his hands on his stomach and guffawed. "This is fun, man!"

"Ne, Soubi," Ritsuka called quietly. "You-your, your Sacrifice, who is he?" he stammered the question. "Is he, is he good to you?" He looked away and asked in a whisper. "H-he isn't like my brother, is he?"

_Feeling guilty now, are we?_ Soubi lit a new cigarette and replied."He's not. He's perfect."

"Perfect, huh?" Mirodi echoed. "Now, I want to meet the one whom the-perfect-Fighter-ever describes as a perfect Sacrifice."

Soubi smiled at that. "Not just as a Sacrifice, Hikaru is a perfect individual." _Hikaru, my Sacrifice, is the best. _

"Ohhh, someone is in love here!" Natsuo teased.

"His name is Hikaru?" Ai wondered.

"Poor Ritsuka!" Youji rolled with laughter, looking far from caring. "You got completely ditched now! Well, dude, you gotta accept that the new one is always better than the old one!"

"Stop it, you two!" Ai told the Zero off.

"Th-that's right!" Yuiko took Ai's side. "You're being mean to Ritsuka-kun!"

"Mean? Us?" Youji and Natsuo looked at each other like it had never occurred to them that their words might hurt others' feelings.

"Hey, don't you girls accuse us like that." Hands on his hips, Youji spoke in a defensive tone.

"Yeah, we're not being mean." Natsuo supported his Sacrifice. "We're just telling him the truth."

"But, but, but-" Yuiko tried to argue.

"It's like cars!" Youji gave them an easy example. "The new series are better than the older ones! You're useless now, Ritsuka!" He rudely pointed at Ritsuka's face.

"Don-Don't call Ritsuka-kun useless!" Yuiko protested in tears. "Ritsuka-kun is not useless! He's the kindest, smartest, gentlest-"

_She is going to wail soon._ Soubi knew. _So weak… _He noted in disgust.

"There you are, Soubi." Another voice chimed in. It belonged to the most important person to him at the moment.

Soubi turned around. His master walked on lazily. "Hikaru." Soubi jogged towards him. The moment Hikaru was within his reach, he pulled him into a tight embrace. "Are you okay? He didn't do anything to you, did he?" he asked, with worry evident in his tone.

Hikaru lifted his eyebrow and chuckled. "Well, he's a bit creepy but he didn't do anything. Honestly, what do you think he would have done to me? Eat me?"

Unbeknownst to the teen, that was exactly what Ritsu had done to him. He took Soubi's virginity when he was at Hikaru's age in that very same room."Nothing." He shook his head to cast away the unpleasant memories. "You're okay. That's what's important."

"So, this is Hikaru?" Out of nowhere, Youji suddenly stood next to Hikaru. He brought his face close to him and asked. "Hey, are you Hikaru?"

"Eh? Err, yes." Surprised by the unexpected closeness and the younger boy's lack of manners, Hikaru stammered out his answer. "Shindou Hikaru, nice to meet you." He greeted.

"Hikaru, Hikaru." Natsuo called from Hikaru's left. "Is Hikaru Soubi's Sacrifice now?"

"Y-yes." Hikaru nodded, still startled.

Youji and Natsuo held each other's hands,swinging to left and right childishly. "So fun, so fun!" They sang. "More interesting people here!"

"Ne, ne," Natsuo grinned. "Since you're Soubi's Sacrifice, I promise, I'm not gonna slice you into pieces with my knife! I'm very good at it, you know!" he boasted.

Hikaru blinked and forced a smile. "Err, that's great, thank you." He then whispered to Soubi. "Is it just me or is this place filled with creepy and insane people?"

Ai managed to hear it though. "Hey! We're nothing like them!" She objected, gesturing towards the Zero.

Mirodi nodded. "Yeah, just because they are doesn't mean that we are too, you know."

"Oh, sorry." Hikaru studied him. "And you are?" He inquired.

"Arai Modori, we are the Breathless." Midori presented. "I'm the Sacrifice. Ai is my Fighter."

"Those idiots are the Zero; Youji and Natsuo." Ai provided.

Youji and Natsuo flashed a cute smile. "Yo!"

Ai tilted her chin towards both Loveless. "These two are Loveless; Ritsuka and Yuiko."

Ritsuka swallowed hard and uttered. "A-Aoyagi Ritsuka, nice to meet you."

_Probably got excited meeting my new Sacrifice._ Soubi thought.

"Ha-Hawatari Yuiko, nice to meet you." Yuiko bowed.

Hearing that name, Hikaru's face turned white. "Aoyagi?"

"Are you okay?" Ai questioned with concern. "Are you sick?"

"Hey, dude, why are you looking at Ritsuka like you've seen a ghost like that?" Natsuo asked.

"Natsuo, Natsuo." Youji called. "He froze when he heard Ritsuka's surname! He must know that bastard Seimei!" He theorized.

Soubi noticed his master flinching. Although Youji was a cruel punk, he was observant, his words stabbed Hikaru's heart like a knife.

"Is that true?" Ritsuka jumped on the older teen, grabbed his arms and shook them fiercely. "You know my big brother? Do you know where he is?"

Hikaru stayed silent, most likely too shocked to speak since he hadn't prepared to come across the brother of his friend's murderer here.

Soubi, being a protective Fighter, stepped in between them. He hid Hikaru behind him while facing Ritsuka. "My master is not feeling well, excuse me." Soubi then took Hikaru to the room he had booked earlier.

* * *

Room 555,

"A glass of water?" Soubi asked Hikaru who was sitting at the edge of the bed. The room was a simple single room. There was only one bed, a small table and two chairs.

"I'm not sick, Soubi." Hikaru retorted.

"I'm sorry."

"Huh?" Hikaru looked up at him. "About what? About the water?"

"I didn't know that Ritsuka would be here." Soubi moved close to the bed. "If I had known, I wouldn't have brought you here today."

"It's not your fault."

Soubi sat on the floor and rested his head on Hikaru's knee. "Do you hate Ritsuka?"

Hikaru gently patted Soubi's head, after a long pause, he uttered. "No, he isn't the Aoyagi that killed Sai, is he?"

"No, he is not." _So kindhearted…my Hikaru…_

"The question is, do you?" Hikaru queried. "Do you hate Ritsuka?"

Soubi took his time to contemplate about it. Did he hate Rituuka? Sure, the boy left him for Yuiko, but Ritsuka was a good kid. He remembered Ritsuka tending his wounds when he bled, Ritsuka holding him and praising him for fighting well and Ritsuka standing up against his own brother to defend him. He remembered every moment of them together. Ritsuka's soft smile when he had forgiven him for helping Seimei still stuck in his mind. Did he hate Ritsuka? The answer was obvious. "No, I don't hate him." Soubi stated. "I'm just-"

"Angry?" Hikaru filled in; amusement in his voice.

Soubi smirked. "How can you tell?"

Hikaru snorted. "Because I know you. You're probably bragging how magnificent your new Sacrifice, a.k.a. _**I**_ am before I found you and your little gang."

_I wasn't the one who was boasting but…_ "Yes, something like that."

"Great. Now you're acting like a vengeful guy who brings his new girlfriend to taunt his ex and the ex's new boyfriend." Hikaru spoke dryly. "Only that I'm not your new girlfriend and that boy is not your ex-girlfriend and that girl is definitely not his new boyfriend!" He leaned back and lain down on the bed. "Man, it sounds so freaking weird. And those two kids are scary too."

Soubi moved on to the bed and hovered over his Sacrifice. "You mean, Youji and Natsuo?"

"Yeah."

With his eyes closing, he rested his head on the Go pro's shoulder. "They're a bit different because they are artificial humans." He explained.

"What? Artificial humans?"

"They're the results of Nagisa-Sensei's experiment. They feel no pain." _Hmm, Hikaru smells so good._ He thought as he nuzzled Hikaru's neck. "Nagisa-Sensei calls it Project-Zero, that's why they're given the name Zero. Our name is Zero. We are the beginning and the end. We are everything and nothing. We shall give you pain and suffering. We shall send your existence back to nothing." He chanted.

"That is their incantation, right?"

"Yes, did Ritsu tell you about it?" He guessed. He was sure that he hadn't mentioned it to Hikaru before.

"Yeah." His lord rested his hand on the back of his head and continued. "Before each pair engages in a battle, they have to cast their unique incantation to boost up the team's power to the fullest, right?"

"Yes," Soubi nodded. Hikaru was clever indeed. "But we don't have ours yet."

"Ritsu-san says we'll automatically know when the right time comes." Hikaru said.

"When?" Soubi wanted to know it so badly. Right now, he felt too insecure. Hikaru had accepted him. They had formed the bond but they weren't completely bonded yet.

"When I mark you, he says."

He snapped his eyes open. "Mark me?"

"Yeah, you are the Blank Fighter, right?" Hikaru reminded him of his cursed destiny. "All I have to do is accept you and mark you and then you'll officially be mine, at least that what's he told me."

"Then mark me." Soubi pleaded.

"I hope you do realize that you are asking me to carve my name on your flesh." Hikaru stated. "It will hurt, you know."

"I know." _I know it better than anyone._ "I like the pain."

"I know." Hikaru muttered. "But I don't like it."

"You're so thoughtful." Soubi praised.

"No, I'm not." Hikaru answered back. "I'm just being normal. But you, you're just being a masochist."

The comment brought a smile to Soubi's emotionless face. "Maybe you're right. What else did you and Ritsu talk about?"

"About that night."

"What night?" _What night?_

"The night that Seimei broke in here and how you helped him escape."

* * *

Hikaru felt Soubi tensing up upon hearing it. The older man got up. He sat on the bad, turning his back on him. "Soubi."

"I-I didn't want to do that." Soubi hugged himself tight to keep his body from shaking. "I tried to resist but when Seimei ordered me to break the window so he could escape, I-I couldn't go against him." He choked. "I kept telling myself 'No! No! He's not your master anymore! Don't listen to him!' But I just couldn't! It's like my body wasn't my own anymore. Then I broke the window and he ran away. If acting equal to your Sacrifice is shameful, then what should we call this terrible sin of mine?" Soubi's voice trembled greatly. Hikaru was certain that he was crying right now. "I had a master, yet, I obeyed another one! **No wonder Ritsuka left me!**"

Hikaru hurriedly crawled next to him. Once he was in front of Soubi, he did his best to embrace the taller man. "It's not your fault." He comforted him. "It's not your fault, really." _He's breaking apart._

Soubi shook his head in disagreement. "It is."

"It's no." Hikaru stood firm with his words. "You see, Ritsu and I came up with a theory."

It worked like magic. Soubi stopped crying in that instant. He looked up and stared at him blankly. "A theory?"

"Yeah." Hikaru released him. Putting his hand on the bed for support, he leaned back a bit. "In the end, it's all about the name and the bond. Everybody will have their name on their body, right?"

"Yes, it's like a birthmark. The Breathless pair, for example, they have the word 'Breathless' on the palms of one of their hands. It's the symbol that they are meant for each other." Soubi explained. Seeing that his beautiful hands had no mark, he bit his lips, frustrated.

Hikaru wanted to slap himself for bringing it up. _Damn, he doesn't have the real name written on his body_. "Anyway," He went back to the topic. "Although back then Ritsuka had accepted you and marked you by piercing you ears, but he didn't carved the name Loveless yet."

Soubi was sharp enough to know what he was implying. "You mean that-"

"Yes," Hikaru said. "Your bond with him wasn't complete. Technically, you're still Beloved's Fighter not Loveless's. So it's normal for you to listen to Aoyagi Seimei who _**is **_still your Sacrifice."

Soubi heaved out a deep sigh, lay down and dropped his head on Hikaru's laps. "But you're going to write your name on me, aren't you?"

Shaking his head, Hikaru chuckled in amusement. "You're acting like a spoiled kid now, you know that? But yes, I'm going to _**engrave**_ my name on your skin exactly where it is on my body. It's going to be painful. Be prepared."

"I told you I like pain." Soubi smiled. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Masochist!"

"Wait." He suddenly got up to a sitting position.

"Hmm?"

"Doesn't that mean your name has already appeared?" He queried.

"Err, yes."

"Where is it?" He demanded.

"Huh?"

"Where is your name? Is it on your hand?" Soubi took Hikaru's hands and flipped them searching for the name. "No, it means that." His eyes roamed over his body. "Take off your clothes."

"_**What?"**_

Soubi didn't waste time to repeat it. He launched himself on Hikaru. Hikaru fell back onto the bed, his hand were pinned down at either side of his head by Soubi's firm grip. "So-Soubi, let me go this instant!" the blond shouted an order.

"No."

_What? _"What? Doesn't a good Fighter follow his Sacrifice's command?" Hikaru yelled, trying to struggle but it was no use, Soubi, the twenty-one year old Fighter who was trained to be a Fighter since he was five, was much stronger than a fifteen year-old Go pro.

"So what?" Soubi trailed kisses along Hikaru's neck. "Punish me, if you want to."

"Soubi!" Hikaru scolded. "At first you told me that you kissed me to strengthen our bond. Now, I'm beginning to wonder if you did it for your pleasure! Let me go!"

Soubi kissed his forehead lovingly and said. "I did do it to tighten our bond. Satisfying my pleasure, as you put it, was just an additional bonus."

"You pervert! Let me, hummp!" Poor Hikaru didn't have a chance to finish the sentence as Soubi silenced him with his kiss.

"Hey, Hikaru, are you here?" Youji sang as he slammed the door open.

Both Hikaru and Soubi turned towards the intruders. Youji looked as if Christmas had come early. Midori and Ritsuka turned the deepest shade of red. Hikaru didn't know if he should cry in delight that his virginity was safe or he should cry for being found in this compromising position.

However, Soubi didn't seem to be happy at all. "Is there anything we can do for you kids?"

"Oh, oh, the ice prince Soubi is getting mad." Jumping up and down, Youji clapped his hands. "Well, we did interrupt them. What do you say, guys?" He asked the other two Sacrifices. "Should we come back when they're not _**busy**_?"

"Yes." This came from Soubi.

"No!" This was Hikaru's response. _If they leave now, only god knows what will happen to me!_ He ransacked his backpack and threw a book to Soubi's lap. "Why don't you go outside and read it while I'm talking with them?"

"But Hikaru-" Soubi protested.

Hikaru didn't listen to him though. He pulled him up and shoved him out off the room. "You need to cool yourself down and keep your uncontrollable hormones in check!" He then slammed the door shut and turned back to his young guests (a.k.a. heroes who saved him from the randy devil king). "So, boys, what can I do for you today?"

* * *

**Words:** 4443

**Special Thanks:** my beta readers, noemie and sany.

**AN:** The title of this chapter is inspired by "Five people you meet in heaven". More review please!


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Hikaru no Go or Loveless.

"xxxxxxxx" Character's talking

xxxxxxxxxxxx Character's thoughts

* * *

**Chapter 8: Our name is…**

Outside Room 555,

"Oh, it's Soubi!" Natsuo danced around him, "Soubi, Soubi, Soubi!"

"Stop it, it's annoying." Soubi growled. He was far from being in a good mood. It was about to get really _**really**_ good in there, but now, thanks to them, he was kicked out.

"Sorry, Soubi, I hope that we didn't disturb you." Ai apologized.

"Well, you did." Soubi said honestly, not caring a bit about her feelings. "What is this all about? Why are they having a Sacrifice meeting in there while I'm stuck out here with you guys?"

"You-you see," Yuiko spoke up, "Ritsuka-kun wants to talk with Shindou-san."

"Yeah, but he's too shy so Youji volunteered to go with him." Natsuo added.

"But Midori fears that Youji would say anything stupid so he volunteered as well." Ai finished the story with a sigh.

Soubi looked at the book in his hand – it was a Go book. _It is so… Hikaru_. "Perfect timing," he muttered in annoyance, "just when we're about to—"

"Ohhh, what were you going to do?" Natsuo bounded around him. "You were going to do **_it_,** weren't you?"

"Eh?" both girls didn't quite understand.

Soubi didn't respond and began reading the book as he had been told to.

"Ah-ha! I knew it!" Natsuo hit his fist against his palm. "You were about to make love with Hikaru, weren't you?"

"WHAT?" both girls cried out, blushing a deep tomato-red and looking as if they were about to explode in any minute.

"Why not?" Soubi shrugged, "I love Hikaru. Plus, it will make our bond stronger." he smiled.

* * *

Inside room 555,

"Phew," Hikaru wiped his forehead, "That's embarrassing. It's one scene twelve year-old children like you shouldn't have seen." he walked back and sat on his bed, "But thanks anyway, you guys are life savers. Really, that guy is such a pervert." Ritsuka was looking down at the floor. _Too embarrassed to look at my face? Damn you, Soubi!_ "Did he ever do something like that to you?" he wondered. _Nah, he's too young, even for Soubi._

"Well, he kissed me a couple time." Ritsuka flushed.

_**"What?"**_ Hikaru gawked_. He kissed a sixth grade boy? Oh my god, he's a real pedophile! Just like Ogata-Sensei! God, what the hell was I thinking when I accepted him?_

"Errr, ano," Ritsuka shifted awkwardly on a chair, "Can I ask you a question?"

"You already asked." Hikaru's smirk disappeared when a thought hit him… hard. _Damn it! I sound like Touya! _

"Errr,"

"I'm kidding." he waved his hand. "Go on."

"Ano, I'm wondering if-," Ritsuka started, "if you know my big brother."

_Oh, no, no, no. Please don't ask me that – anything but that._

"Are you Seimei's friend? He asked.

Hikaru rolled his eyes. _Now, he's said it. _He glanced at Ritsuka who was looking at him expectantly. He sighed and replied in a hard tone. "No, I'm not his friend." _Like I even want to befriend him out of all people. _

"Oh, is that so?" Ritsuka stared down at the floor again, looking completely disappointed.

"You said you aren't his friend, then what are you to him?" Youji questioned, "An enemy?"

At that, Ritsuka's head snapped up. He gazed at Hikaru, hoping he would deny it.

But Hikaru didn't.

"I—I know that Brother did many bad things**...**" Ritsuka trailed off. He clenched his fists until they turned white.

Hikaru ruffled his hair. How was he supposed to tell this little boy that his only brother was a murderer?

"He even killed people."

_Well, it seems that he's already known that._ "I've never met him. I've only heard of him." He spilled out the truth. "He took away the life of my dear friend."

"Ha! Just like I thought!" Youji clicked his finger.

"Youji!" Midori scolded.

Ritsuka bowed in regret. "I'm sorry!"

Hikaru studied the poor boy and gave out a sigh, "No need to say you're sorry. It's not your fault."

"Ne, ne, what are you gonna do when you find Seimei?" Youji jumped onto his bed, "Kill him? Let's kill him! No, no, let's torture him first then kill him!" he suggested. His eyes burned with excitement.

"Youji!" Midori chewed him out, "Why don't you just shut up?"

"What did you just say to me?" Youji rose from the bed and started quarrelling with Midori.

"Shin—Shindou-san, about that, you will**…** my brother?" Was all Hikaru managed to hear from the young Aoyagi.

"I'm not planning to kill him, if that what you wanna know." The Go pro declared.

"Really?" Ritsuka asked.

"Yes."

The boy sighed with relief and bended his head down to thank him. "Thank you, thank you very much."

"What? Why not?" Youji clearly opposed the idea.

_This kid really scares the hell out of me. _Hikaru moved a bit further from him. "Because I don't want to lower myself to his level," he turned to a guilty-looking Ritsuka, "and that is the only reason why I will not cut him into pieces, even if I have the chance to, so you don't need to thank me. It's not that I forgive your brother or anything. I'm not that good." _I'm not Sai. _

With his arms crossed, Youji pouted. "Man, this is so boring."

"Why do you always say something like that?" Midori shook his head tiredly.

"What? I didn't do anything wrong!" Youji retorted.

But Midori ignored him. "So, how did you become Soubi's Sacrifice?" Obliviously he tried to lighten the mood.

"Ritsu-san recommended me to Soubi," Hikaru answered with a shrug, "so, here we are."

"I see." Midori nodded. "You must be pretty good then." he added.

"Huh?"

"Ritsu-Sensei loves his Soubi-kun very much." Youji hugged and kissed Hikaru's pillow. "If he chooses you for his Soubi, you must be good too! Ne, Let's fight sometimes!"

_Something's definitely wrong with this boy._ "Yeah, righhhht," Hikaru turned his attention to the murderer's brother, "By the way, can I ask you a question too?"

"Ha—hai!" Ritsuka straightened his back as if he was about to report to a general of the army.

Hikaru lifted his feet up and rested it on the bed. He put his elbow on his knee and rested his chin on his fist. "Kio says that you're a good kid – kind and considerate. Those were his exact words," Ritsuka's cheek blushed pink, "And I happen to believe him," he gazed idly at the boy and uttered the question that he had been wondering for so long, "So, tell me, Aoyagi Ritsuka, why did you leave Soubi?"

* * *

Outside room 555,

"Rit—Ritsuka-kun misses you a lot, Soubi-san," Yuiko started fidgeting nervously, "He, he becomes so quiet. I, I," she stammered, "I mean, Ritsuka-kun isn't the talkative type but he has never been this quiet before. I, I know, he feels so lonely without you, Soubi-san. Why, why didn't you visit us after class again? I miss you. Ritsuka-kun misses you. It hurts to see him being like this."

Soubi flipped through the book before saying in a monotone. "Because Ritsuka doesn't need me anymore since he has you now."

"Sou—Soubi-san, I didn't mean to take Ritsuka-kun away from you!" Yuiko burst out in tears. "Please believe me! I didn't mean to!"

_I know you didn't mean too but…_

* * *

Inside room 555,

"What else can I do then?" Ritsuka asked. "Yuiko is Loveless' Fighter, _**my **_fighter."

"Yeah," Youji agreed, "The truth is that the girl didn't steal Ritsuka away from Soubi, it's the other way around. It was Soubi who stole her Loveless Sacrifice in the first place."

Midori looked at the back his palm where the scar reading "Breathless" was there. "Our name and our pairing were formed by fate. It cannot be changed. If I were Ritsuka, I would have done the same."

"Yuiko, she's destined to be my Fighter. She can't live without me." Ritsuka let out a long desperate sigh. "But Soubi isn't the same. He's the Blank Fighter. He'll be fine even without me, that's what Ritsu-Sensei said." his voice became quieter and quieter, "So I thought…" he sighed again.

"So you thought it was okay to dump him?" Youji finished it for him. "It's a right decision though since he seems happy with Hikaru now."

"I can't say that he's like that from the start." Hikaru told them. An image of a lost-looking Soubi appeared in his mind. "Well, at least, everything's okay now."

"Soubi must hate me a lot," Ritsuka whispered.

"Nah, he doesn't hate you, never." Hikaru assured the boy. "He was sad at first but, no, he doesn't hate you. He's just…" there was a pause. "angry at you," there was another pause, "A bit," he added. He took a deep breath in and out. "Anyway, he's okay now ever since he'd met me and he knows that you feel guilty for leaving him so he's playing hard to get as a revenge." _What a childish game!_

"You think so?" Ritsuka's eyes lit up as if he had met Buddha in hell. "He doesn't hate me?"

"Yeah," Hikaru nodded. _At least that what I think. _"The two of you should have a talk and get over it – a real talk, I mean."

"Okay," Ritsuka nodded.

"Man, this is not fun." Youji crossed his arms over his chest and grumbled. "No one hates anyone! No one wants to kill anyone! What kind of freakin' world are we living in?!"

"Youji!!" Midori and Ritsuka scolded.

"What?" Youji protested.

"Errr, I'd better go to find Soubi." Hikaru rose from the bed. "Without me around, only God knows what kind of trouble he's getting himself into." The boys followed him to the door. Once he opened it….

**"I'm going to make you regret that you were ever born into this world!"**

* * *

Less than five minutes ago, in front of room 555

"Please believe me! I didn't mean too! Soubi-san, please believe me!" Yuiko wept. "Can't we just be friends like we used to?"

The fact was Soubi had stopped listening to the whining girl for quite some time now; he was busy trying to understand a Go problem in the book he had received from Hikaru.

Ai sighed in dejection. "Soubi, Soubi, you need to do something with that attitude of yours."

Soubi shut the book closed.

Natsuo nodded vehemently. "She's right. Especially when you have that hey-I-am-the-strongest-Fighter-ever-step-aside-you-are-not-worthy-to-be-in-my-presence look, it's very frustrating."

"Plus, many people hate you already for having more than one Sacrifice." Ai added. "They brand it as an unforgivable scandal."

"Really?" Soubi was amused by the idea, "Hmm, it's never occurred to me before that people may dislike me, considering that I'm a very amicable man."

"Liar!" Ai and Natsuo shouted at him.

"Eh? Isn't Soubi?" a female voice called.

Soubi made an irritated face. "I'm sick of this line. It's getting lame." He turned to his right.

A woman, around her thirties, in a nurse uniform Gothic-Lolita style was walking towards them. This woman was Nagisa Sagan, another teacher in this Academy. She claimed herself to be Ritsu's rival and that she absolutely despisedhim. However, it was a common knowledge among the students, teachers, security guards, literally _**everyone**_ in this school that she was madly in love with Ritsu. She was the one who created and took care of the Zeroes. Judging from her personality and her taste in clothing, Soubi wasn't surprised why Youji and Natsuo turned out to be abnormal.

Behind Nagisa, there were a boy and a girl. The boy was around eighteen. He had dark skin and long fair hair. The girl was probably at the same age as the boy. She was the opposite of the boy. She had pale skin and long black hair. Despite their contrasting appearances, they did share a familiar trait as they both had a haughty aura surrounding them.

"We meet again, Soubi." The dark boy drawled.

The girl was playing with a strand of her hair. "So you're here. If you had told us in the first place that you would finally come here by yourself, we wouldn't have wasted our time fighting with you."

Soubi glanced at them with the corner of his eyes. "Where I go, and when I go is my business. I've no obligation to tell you."

"Why you little—" The boy gritted his teeth.

"Most importantly," Soubi studied them from head to toe, "Who are you?"

**"_What?"_** The girl roared, shaking with fury, **"You're telling me that you don't remember us? We fought you before! We are the Sleepless!"**

Soubi sniggered. "I'm sorry. I don't have time to remember the weaklings."

**"You! How dare you look down on us?"** The boy thundered.

"My, my, still despicable like always," Nagisa spoke up. Soubi could tell that she truly enjoyed watching him getting into a fight.

"And he says he's an amicable guy." Natsuo chuckled. Ai and Yuiko merely sighed as if they had expected things to turn out this way.

**"Hey! I'm asking you a question here!"** The tanned-skin boy bellowed crossly.

Soubi gave him a naive look. "Oh, really? Sorry, I'm not aware of that."

**"You!"** the boy hollered, **"Arrz! I can't take it anymore! Ginka!"**

The girl nodded. "Alright, Kinka!"

**"I'm going to teach you a lesson!"** Kinka, the Sleepless-boy, declared. **"I'm going to make you regret that you were ever born into this world!"**

Then the door of room 555 opened.

* * *

Hikaru came out from the room and looked around the surroundings. There were three Fighters whom he knew and another three persons whom he didn't. He glanced at the boy with tanned skin and the girl with black hair. Both of them looked furious. Although he didn't know what was happening exactly, he thought he got the main idea of what was going on. With a hand on his hip, he looked at his trouble-making partner with an accusing expression. "What did you do again?"

Soubi shrugged. "Nothing."

"Oh, Soubi-kun," Even Ritsu joined the scene too, "There you are."

**"Nothing my ass!"** The fuming unknown boy yelled. "With this spell, I will start the battle!"

"Huh?" Hikaru exclaimed. _Eh? What? Wait a minute, battle? No way!_

"I accept." Soubi replied calmly.

**"_What?"_** Hikaru turned to his Fighter. Before he could voice out any protest, a dome of darkness appeared and enveloped them all.

* * *

Hikaru found himself standing behind Soubi. His Fighter stood in front of him possessively, trying to shield him from the opponents.

"Can't leave you for a minute, can I?" Hikaru rolled his eyes in boredom. Soubi just smiled in response.

"What the-" The girl frowned. "He's not Ayogaki Ritsuka!" she exclaimed in shock.

"You changed your Sacrifice again?" The boy demanded. "You _**disgust**_ me! You have no honor left! Ginka!"

"Let's do it! Kinka!"

_So, they are Ginka and Kinka? Not quite creative names, if you ask me._ Hikaru smirked before shaking his head forcefully._ No, Hikaru, this is not the time for sarcasm! _

"Our name is Sleepless. We share one name. See the darkness of a sleepless night!" Ginka and Kinda cried.

_The chant of their true name, it means that they're taking_ _this seriously._ "Soubi**…**" Hikaru didn't want to admit it but the truth was… he was scared.

Soubi, being his Fighter, was able to sense his feeling. He gave him a confident smile, "Don't worry, Hikaru," he took his glasses off and reassured him, "It'll end before you know it. Swords of light! Descend from heaven and destroy the evil before me!" Hundreds of shining swords appeared the Sleepless pair and fell down directly at them.

"Kin-chan!" Ginka shouted, "Counter attack!"

_The girl gives orders; she must be a Sacrifice._

"Same trick won't work twice! Swords of darkness! Rise from hell and protect us!" Kinka cast the spell. Black swords emerged from the ground, they took off to the air and clashed with Soubi's white sparkling swords.

The moment the swords collided with each other, Soubi raised his hand toward his opponents and said. "Transform into needles! Descend from heaven, excruciating silver rain! Pin down these dirty creatures before us like butterfly specimens on the wall!" The pieces of the broken sword turned into small sewing needles and poured down from the dark sky.

_Like silver rain, so this is the power of words that Soubi's been talking about?_

Ginka, the girl screamed. Many needles stuck on her arms and her legs.

"Ginka!" Kinka cried out in worry.

"I'm okay!" Ginka shouted in reply.

"Damn it!" Kinka, the Sleepless Fighter swore, "We are going to lose again?"

"On the contrary," Ginka's lip curved up into a cruel smile, "Ne, Soubi, I'm wondering," she brushed the needles off her shirt and her skirt dramatically, "Why didn't you two chant the incantation of your name?"

Both Soubi and Hikaru froze at that.

"Is it possible that," she paused for a brief moment and continued, "your bond isn't that deep?"

No answer came from either Soubi or Hikaru.

"Ha! How can you create a bond when you keep changing your Sacrifice!" Kinka mocked. Without warning, he threw a curse. "Sleepless night, restless night, swallow them into eternal darkness!"

Then Hikaru and Soubi were plunged into darkness.

* * *

_Damn, this is really uncomfortable. _Hikaru puffed heavily. _I can't breathe._

"Hikaru," Someone called him, "Hikaru, are you alright?"

_I know this voice._

He tiredly opened his eyes. "Soubi," he panted, "I can't breathe." He was about to lift his hand to touch throat, when he heard a 'Click' sound. "Eh?" He looked down to check himself. His twists were fastened with black leather handcuffs. Around his neck, there was a thick leather collar – this was the reason of his suffocation. Heavy chains from the handcuffs and the collar reached down to the floor. He scanned around. He couldn't see anything except Soubi. The older man knelt before him, holding him loosely. Great anxiety reflected in his blue eyes. "Soubi, where are we?"

"The Sleepless team captured us in their darkness." Soubi hung his head down in shame. "I'm sorry, Hikaru,"

"Huh?" Hikaru scratched his head in puzzle, "For what?"

"I'm distracted." Soubi didn't look up from the floor. "Last time, they used a psychology game against me too. And again, I allowed them to." he bit his lip angrily.

Seeing blood on Soubi's lip, Hikaru cried out worriedly. "Soubi! Stop it!" He tilted Soubi's chin up. "Doesn't it hurt? Are you hurt? Are you okay?" The man gave him a sad smile. He hated that smile. He preferred Soubi's arrogant smile rather than this current one. "Soubi."

"I'm fine." Soubi answered, his fingers trailed along Hikaru's collar. "And you, Hikaru? Are you hurt?"

"No," Hikaru shook his head, "It's difficult to breathe but it doesn't hurt."

"That's relieving." His Fighter kissed his forehead. Hikaru wasn't sure if he tried to comfort himself or him. Under normal circumstances, he would smack him for that. However, since this was obliviously **not **a normal circumstance, he would let it go this time.

"What's next?" Hikaru inquired.

"We're getting out." Soubi spoke with determination. "I'll break this cage."

"Then what?"

"We go out, fight and win." He said as if it was an easy thing to do.

"Then what?" Hikaru pressed on.

Soubi didn't understand what he was trying to say. "What do you mean, Hikaru?"

"I've been intending to ask this for a long time," Hikaru looked around and sighed, "I can't believe that we're having this discussion here."

"Hikaru?"

"Tell me the truth, Soubi," he ordered, "Tell me if you're ever jealous of Sai?" The other man said nothing but it was more than Hikaru needed. There were times when silence was more than enough and this was such a time. "Tell me if you're still thinking of yourself as Sai's replacement?"

Again, no answer.

To Soubi's surprise, he laughed. "Soubi, Soubi," He shook his head, wearing a wide grin on his face, "Sometimes I wonder which one of us is the adult."

"Hikaru…"

Hikaru smiled gently at him. "Let's settle this once and for all, shall we?" He said, "Listen carefully, Soubi. I loved Sai."

* * *

"Listen carefully, Soubi," Hikaru spoke with his unusually serious look, it was the look he had witnessed only when the boy played Go, "I loved Sai."

Soubi bit his lip again before looking away. It hurt too much. He couldn't take it. He didn't want to hear it. Why did Hikaru have to tell him that now?

"No, Soubi," A warm palm touched his face, "Soubi, look at me."

What other choice did he have? He was Hikaru's, even if Hikaru's wasn't his, even if Hikaru loved others, and even if Hikaru spared no place in his heart for him – he was still Hikaru's.

Soubi reluctantly looked back at Hikaru. Tenderness reflected in his lord's eyes. "Soubi, I loved Sai."

_Please don't say it._

"The time we spent together, the memories we shared together, no one can change it or take them away from me," He spoke softly.

One of the many reasons why Soubi was deemed as the perfect Fighter ever was because he could endure pain more than anyone could. Ritsu's whip or Seimei's knife was nothing to him. But right now, he felt as if someone was ripping his heart into pieces. _Please stop it. _

But Hikaru didn't stop, "Sai is unique. In this world, there is only one Fujiwara Sai. No one can replace Sai."

"Hikaru," _Please, stop it. I can't bear it anymore._

"Soubi too,"

"Eh?" Soubi blinked. _What did he just say?_

"Sai is Sai. Soubi is Soubi." His master reasoned. "No one can take Sai's place and no one can take Soubi's place either. Both of you are important to me. Yes, that's right. Just like how important Seimei and Ritsuka are to you."

"Hikaru, I don't—"

Hikaru snorted. "Oh, cm'on, do you think that I'm _**that**_ oblivious? That I'm that stupid?" He moved his hand in the air. "Or do you honestly think that I don't know how much you loved Ritsuka for his kindness? Or how much you respected Seimei for his leadership?"

"Hikaru, I, I…" Soubi couldn't say anything any further. He couldn't deny that it was not true; after all, he did hold affection for Ritsuka and had a high regard for Seimei. A servant who had feelings for others than his master! What kind of a Fighter was he?

"Listen, Soubi," Hikaru cupped his face with his hands and smiled softly, "I don't want to forget Sai and I don't want you to forget Ritsuka and Seimei either, even if Seimei is a bastard." He added with a bitter laugh, "Just because we're together now doesn't mean that we have to throw away our past, right? Especially the happy memories that we cherish."

"Hikaru,"

Hikaru shrugged. "It's like Go, you know?"

_Huh? Go? Are we talking about Go?_

"We live in the present, heading to the future while carrying the hope and the dream from the past." The Go Pro enlightened him.

Soubi simply stared at the boy in amazement. It was a long moment before he could utter any words. Finally, he hugged him tightly and spoke in a whisper. "Hikaru,"

"Yes?"

"You really are a Go player."

Hikaru laughed at that. "I'll take that as a compliment then."

* * *

Soubi, the perfect Fighter, was back. He gathered Hikaru in his arms and helped him get up. "We have to get out of here." He stated firmly. "The longer we stay, the more power you will lose." He raised his hand as if trying to reach someone in the darkness in front of him. "Fire burn,"

"Wait!" Hikaru shouted out, "Wait a minute, Soubi!" _Just a bit more…_

"Eh?" Soubi looked at him questioningly, "Hikaru?"

Hikaru reached the back pocket of his jean and brought out an object. It was a cutter.

"Hikaru?"

"I have been carrying it with me for a while now." he said.

"Hikaru, are you saying that," Soubi stared at the cutter with wide eyes. Was it because he was shock? Surprise? Or happy? Hikaru wasn't sure.

"I think," Hikaru inhaled a lungful of air, "I think it's time," Holding the cutter firm in his hand, he looked up at his Figther, "What do you think?"

"Let's do it,"

"It's gonna be painful." he warned.

"I like the pain." Soubi said.

Hikaru shook his head in amusement. Out of all the only-God-knows-how-many-Fighters-are-out-there, he had to get a masochistic one.

* * *

Outside the barrier trapping Soubi and Hikaru,

"We did it!" Kinka yelled triumphantly. "We beat Soubi!"

"Now all we have to do is wait." Ginka combed her long black hair. "When our darkness eat up all of that kid's strength, they will be released."

Ritsuka was trying to arrange his thoughts in order. First, Soubi and his new Sacrifice had been fighting the Sleepless pair. Then, the Sleepless pair casted a spell on them. Now, they were consumed by shadow. Hovering in the air was a huge black orb. Inside it, Soubi and Shindou Hikaru were trapped in the boundless empty space. "Don't tell me that…" Ritsuka couldn't continue on. He feared that it would become true if he actually said it out loud.

Ai chimed in. "Soubi lost?"

"How boring!" Youji pouted, "The real fight hasn't even started yet!"

"Soubi is strong. It must be Shindou-san who is holding him back." Midori voiced his speculation.

"Hikaru is just a newbie." Natsuo pointed out. "It can't be helped."

Hiding behind Ritsuka, Yuiko was trembling, too afraid to speak out her opinion.

"Poor Ritsu, looks like your precious Soubi isdefeated now." Nagisa laughed at him, "So much for the perfect Fighter."

Ritsu merely sniggered. "Soubi-kun hasn't lost yet." he stared at the orb. "Soubi-kun will never lose, especially when he's with Shindou-kun."

"The boy cannot do a thing." Nagisa disagreed. "He's completely useless."

"Didn't I tell you that before?" Ritsu inquired. "That I always choose the best for Soubi-kun."

* * *

"Haha, when they're out, I'm going to make Soubi realize who's the boss here!" Kinka declared. "I'm going to make him crawl on the floor and bark like a dog!"

"There is no way that we'll lose to a pair who doesn't share the same name." Ginka stated.

"Who said that we don't?" A voice spoke out.

"What?" Ginka turned around. Rays of light were piercing through their orb of darkness. The light was getting brighter and brighter. Then, there was an explosion. The light was too bright to look at. Once the light had faded away, there were two people standing in the middle of the battlefield.

Soubi's new Sacrifice was standing there with Soubi behind him, with his arm encircling his master's waist. They didn't even bother to take a look at their surroundings, their eyes were fixed to their opponent, the Sleepless team. The two-color haired boy lifted his hand over his shoulder. "Soubi,"

Soubi took his hand and kissed it. "Yes, master,"

The light shone brightly around them as they spoke in unison. "God blesses us who walk along the noble path that has no end. Endless power with no limitations, we are Endless. We shall send you to the depths of an endless nightmare!"

"Their incantation?" Kinka exclaimed, "Impossible!"

"Endless?" Ginka echoed their name.

"Please give me your guidance," said the Endless Sacrifice with a smile.

* * *

Suddenly a wave of pressure spread out all over the area. It was so intense that Ai and Yuiko weren't able to stand on their feet.

"Ai!" "Yuiko!" Midori and Ritsuka cried as they saw their Fighters crumble to the ground.

"This is Soubi's true power?" Ritsuka whispered. He knew that Soubi was strong but the current Soubi was even stronger than when he had been with him.

"No, it's not Soubi's." Nagisa differed. "It's because of that kid."

"Shindou-san?" Yuiko asked.

"Didn't I teach you all in the beginner class?" Ritsu asked his students. "No matter how strong or how good a Fighter is. When he fights alone, his power is limited. But Soubi isn't alone anymore, he has Shindou-kun."

* * *

"How could they chant the incantation in the first place? Isn't Soubi Loveless? Beloved? Whatever!" Kinka yelled.

"No, I'm Endless now." Soubi answered.

"What?"

"Kin-chan! Look at his neck!" Ginka pointed at their opponent.

"That wounds," Kinka gawked at Soubi's neck. On his collarbone, they barely saw the word 'Beloved' since it was striked through numerous times. His shirt was unbuttoned; revealing the still-bleeding wound could be seen as "Endless" near the heart.

* * *

"Soubi can be paired up with anyone. Now that Shindou-kun marked him as Endless, he is no longer Beloved. The fact that he could chant the right incantation without having Shindou-kun to tell him the spell is the proof that their contract is completed and that they have become the Endless pair." Ristu explained.

* * *

_I can feel it…Raw powerful energy running_ _through my vein. Just like when I'm with Seimei… but something is different... This strength, too, is powerful but it's not cold and filled with hatred like Seimei's. _"Hikaru," Soubi called his young master.

"When I fight, I show no mercy." Hikaru told the Sleepless. "And I didn't teach Soubi to do so either. So, I must apologize to you in advance for the pain and loss that you will suffer."

_Hikaru…_

"Tsk! Don't get cocky just because you can chant your incantation!" Kinka roared.

"Yeah!" Ginka joined her Fighter, "Like I'll ever let it happen! Kin-chan!"

"Servant of Darkness, attack the enemy!" A bird-shaped shadow appeared. The giant crow blasted off directly towards them.

"Burn them down." Hikaru ordered.

"Yes, my lord," Soubi responded, "Sacred fire, rise and burn that low life creature into ashes!" A wall of flame flared up before them, blocking them from the black bird. The bird crashed with the fire barrier, blew out into pieces and fell to the ground. Once the blaze burnt out, it revealed the Endless team. Hikaru didn't even have a scratch – no damages at all.

"Air around us! Turn into smoke!" Kinka commanded. "So thick that nothing can be seen!"

Seeing the black mist start to build up, Hikaru gave an order. "Blow it away."

Soubi chanted. "Wind! Circle and become a storm! Propel such light gathering fog!" With that, the storm raged and cast away the smoke by its driving force.

* * *

"Hmm, he's good, man." Youji noted.

"You mean Soubi?" Ritsuka wondered. "He's always good."

"Stupid Ritsuka," Natsuo song, "He means Hikaru."

"Shindou-san?"

"A Sacrifice instructs a Fighter, that's how things work." Midori explained. "Soubi may be good in creating an effective spell but the one who controls how they fight is Shindou-san. He observes the fight. In seconds, he decides whether to attack or defense and give instruction to Soubi."

"The desire for glory and the focused concentration of a Sacrifice will increase his Fighter's power," Ritsu began his lecture.

* * *

Ginka gritted her teeth angrily and shouted out. "Tell me, Soubi! How many times did you change your Sacrifice? You are not Beloved, nor Loveless, nor Endless! Simply an abandoned puppy! A dog with no master!" She turned to Hikaru. "And you, kid! I bet your real Fighter is dead or something? So you have no choice but to take Soubi, right?"

Silence served as the best answer, confirming that her assumption was correct.

"I'm right, aren't I? Ha! It's like getting old car's parts and putting them together to make a new one!" She made fun of them.

_They're doing it again._ Soubi observed Hikaru from the corner of his eye, worried that her words might hurt him.

But his Sacrifice only smiled in amusement. "Back to psychological warfare again, are we? My, my, you guys are so easy to read."

* * *

"And the vigilance of a Sacrifice will lead his team to victory," Ritsu continued. "As a Go player, Shindou-kun possesses all of these qualities." He looked at the said boy.

The rest followed his gaze and noticed something different about the boy. His green eyes were narrowed like a hawk's, and his predatory face was emotionless.

It was then they realized that standing in front of them wasn't Shindou Hikaru.

It was Shindou-2-Dans.

* * *

"What did you just say?" Ginka demanded.

Hikaru just gave her an annoyingly casual shrug and pointed out the details. "You keep using on the same pattern. When you see that your enemy is stronger than you, you will start this mind game of yours to distract him."

The statement offended the Sleepless Sacrifice greatly. "Are you saying that you two are stronger than us?"

"Are we not?" Hikaru asked back. "From the start, even when Soubi fought alone, he still had the upper hand. When we fought together, not only couldn't your little crow penetrate our shield, it got burnt down. And when you tried to hide, Soubi's wind blew the fog away. Now, tell me, are we or are we not stronger than you?" He inquired. "Of course, you know this too. That's why you tried to sidetrack us. The same trick won't work twice – aren't you the one who said that?" He asked Kinka. "A psychological game against me of all people? You're trying to belittle me? Who the hell do you think I am? For your information, that old raccoon is much better than you!"

"Rac- raccoon?" Kinka repeated, confused. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Don't waste time chatting with him, Kin-chan!" Ginka was ready to continue the battle, "Let's hide now!"

"Thick dark clouds hang over! Protect us! Veil us from the enemy's eyes!" With that a dense mist started to gather around the area.

"Wind," Soubi started.

"No," Hikaru held his hand up gesturing him not to throw the spell.

Seeing that, the blond man stopped. "Hikaru?"

"Remember what I taught you about Go? "Hikaru gave him a meaningful look. "About what you will be able to do when you're good enough?"

It took him a moment before he could summon up the conversation from his memory. "Understood." He didn't know what Hikaru was going to do but he was certain that the boy had a good plan in mind.

_I believe in you, Hikaru._

_My Sacrifice…_

_My master …_

_My everything…_

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000Flashback started00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

About 5 minutes ago,

"Endless," Soubi gently touched the name that had been craved on his skin. The wound was still fresh; he could feel some dampness from the blood staining his fingers. "I have a name now."

"Yes," Hikaru said, "and it's my name too."

"Our name,"

"Yes, it's our name."

"Hikaru,"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you." _I'm not alone anymore. _

"If you kiss me, I'm gonna kick your ass." He warned. "Now get me out of here."

"Roger," Soubi nodded, "Light dispel darkness,"

"Soubi," Hikaru interrupted.

"Yes?"

"Sai is my friend." He stated. "But you are my one and only Fighter."

This was the first time Soubi had ever smiled from the heart.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000Flashback ended0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"What are those guys doing?" Ai wondered. "Soubi! Attack! Don't let them hide!"

"Hey, you! Stop giving him advice!" Natsuo scolded.

"Yeah! It's their fight!" Youji backed him up.

"But they're letting the enemy getting away!" Ai protested.

"Their duty is to fight this battle! You have no part in this! If they make mistake, it's their fault. Then, they'll lose, simple as that!" Youji argued.

"What?" Ai looked at both Zeroes in disbelief, "How could you be so cruel? Soubi is our friend!"

"It's called a sense of responsibility!" Natsuo retorted.

"What?"

Midori patted her shoulder. "Ai, stop it."

"But Midori!"

"They won't lose that easily." Ritsu was positive. "Soubi-kun has no flaws and Shindou-Pro is…"

* * *

"Ha! Now you can't see us!" Kinka's voice came from inside the heavy black smoke. "But we can see you!" They were definitely inside the cloud, but no one could tell exactly where they were.

"Soubi," Hikaru called.

"Yes?"

"Don't you have anything to ask me?" he asked.

"No."

"No?"

"If you think we shouldn't attack, then I won't." Soubi spoke with a firm tone. "I live to follow your orders."

_Something never change, does it?_ Hikaru chuckled. "Although I'm not quite fond of that idea, I must confess to you that it feels great to have someone who completely believes in my ability."

"I completely believe in you." Soubi vowed.

So Hikaru instructed. "Make their cloud thicker then."

"Understood," his Fighter acknowledged and immediately threw a spell, "Strengthen the thin fog, become a greater cloud of darkness." With that, the black mist hazed over, making it even more difficult to pinpoint where the Sleepless pair was.

"What a fool!" Kinka taunted, "You're helping us build up our shield!"

Hikaru ignored his insult. "Make it so thick that they can't see a thing." he instructed.

And Soubi obeyed. "Dark shadows, no light shall pass through this endless night. Everything gets lost in the maze of darkness." Upon his words, the dim cloud spread wider and got denser. The whole area was now consumed by darkness.

"What the!" Ginka exclaimed, "Kin-chan! I can't see anything!"

"Damn it!" her boy Fighter cursed, "We can't lessen the darkness either! What's next, Ginka?"

"Capture the Sacrifice with ice," Hikaru whispered, "From the ground." He added.

"Silently, a thousand year-old ice crawls on the floor. Creep up on my enemy," Soubi spoke. A thin ice emerged from the ground and dashed toward the Sleepless pair's direction.

**"Cold! What is this?"** Ginka cried out, **"What's going on?"**

"Take away her freedom, confine her and freeze her in the overlasting ice cube," Soubi continued his spell. No one, not even Soubi himself, saw what was happening.

**"Ginka!"**

**"Cold! I can't move!"**

**"Damn it! I have no choice!"** The Sleepless Fighter swore. **"We control darkness. Obey us! Disappear! Reveal the truth to our eyes!"** Then the cloud vanished, revealing two figures standing not far away from them.

Kinka, the Sleepless boy was perfectly well. Ginka, the Sleepless girl, was a different story. Although she had no bodily injury, she couldn't move as she was frozen in a small iceberg from her feet to her shoulders.

**"Ginka!"** Kinka cried out at the sight before him.

* * *

"…Shindou –Pro is very perceptive," Ritsu chuckled before adding, "Not to mention that he's one of the most manipulative Go players of his generation."

* * *

"Nothing can be more satisfying than succeeding by using your opponent's stone as one of your own." Hikaru said to himself.

"What?" Kinka exclaimed.

"This is also your weak point, apart from using the same pattern as I told you earlier." Hikaru pointed out. "You cling on your name too much. Because you're Sleepless, you didn't consider using other things than darkness as your weapon. Your fighting style is so predictable, it allows us to gain even greater advantage. In Go, it's alright to have a favorite hand but to use that hand everytime you play is suicidal."

"You**—**" was all poor Ginka managed to speak, yet malice was in her voice.

"Speaking of Go, actually, talking during a game isn't what Go pro is supposed to do." Hikaru stated. "Soubi, cut all escape routes. Make sure that the opponent's stones are cornered and finish them off."

"Yes, master," Soubi responded.

**"Kin-chan! Break the ice!"** Ginka shouted.

Before the Sleepless Fighter could say anything, Soubi attacked. "Like a stone on a board, your life is in my hand." The ice gradually reached up to the girl's neck.

Seeing that, Kinka yelled. **"Hammer of darkness, destroy!"** Huge black round steely-look pendulum appeared out of thin air and flew directly to Ginka. It was about to hit the iceberg then…

"A mere stone can't move by itself," Soubi chanted. Upon his spell, the pendulum froze in the air.

Kinka hollered frantically. **"I refuse! Break that small ice cube into pieces!"** With that, the pendulum began to move.

Soubi cried. **"I command thee to be gone!"**

**"I refuse!"** Kinka didn't give up either. The pendulum couldn't take this much power from both fierce Fighters; finally it exploded.

"Soubi, now!" Hikaru ordered.

Soubi held his hand forward, "Your life is now in my hand," he clenched it into a fist, **"Restraint!"** Kinka screamed as the ice quickly reached up to her head, freezing her alive. Seconds later, the iceberg burst out. Small pieces of ice transformed into thousands of blue butterflies as if they were in a butterfly garden.

Looking at his opponents who were now lying on the ground, Hikaru said coldly, "Thank you for the game."

And that was how the Endless team ended their first battle.

* * *

Words: 6850

**AN:** Finally, it's done! (The next chapter is the epilogue). Thank you for all reviews!

**For more Gothic Lolita costume:** www(dot)metamorphose(dot)gr(dot)jp(backslash)English(backslash)index(dot)html


	10. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own Hikaru no Go or Loveless.

"xxxxxxxx" Character's talking

_xxxxxxxxx _Character's thoughts

* * *

**Epilogue**

Room 555,

The room was completely dark; it had no windows, and the light didn't turn on. The only occupant was the dark figure sitting on the bed.

Holding himself tightly, Hikaru was shaking with fear.

Fear of himself

What had he done?

After they had escaped from the dark orb created by the Sleepless pair, they fought. The battle lasted no more than five minutes.

But, during those five minutes, something unbelievable had happened.

During those five minutes, all he had been thinking of was how to eliminate the opposite team and seize victory.

"Burn them down,"

"Capture the Sacrifice with an ice,"

"Finish them off,"

These were what he had told Soubi.

No, these were his orders to Soubi.

He had commanded Soubi to hurt people.

And Soubi had complied.

He hadn't even thought that there was a possibility that Ginka and Kinka might get injured from his attack. All he had wanted was to crush them down like he often did to his opponent on a Go Board.

Yeah, he had thought of them as Go stones.

During those five minutes, he hadn't considered them as human being with flesh and blood like himself.

What had he done?

"What's happening to me?" he had asked himself over and over again.

He had won the battle yet he had lost a precious thing to him.

For a short moment, he had lost his humanity; something deep inside him had woken-something dangerously dark.

No, that was not right. That thing woke up while ago, it has been awoken since…

The door opened, then the light was turned on.

"What're you doing? Why didn't you turn on the light?" Soubi asked him with a smile.

Hikaru looked up. Then a realization hit him…hard.

The darkness that he buried in the deepest corner of the heart had been revived since the day he met this man, the very same man who claimed himself to be his faithful servant.

It was too late now.

The monster within him wouldn't let him get rid of it that easily.

_Let's hope that I won't become like Aoyagi Seimei one day._

_God, please help me._

_Sai, please help me._

* * *

**AN:** HA! It finally ends for real! Telling you the truth, when I first came up with this fic, I knew exactly how the story would go. Somehow, along the way, I got a bit confused - -" So, this is it, the result of my confused mind - -"

This fic is actually the prologue of the fic I wanted to write. So, yes, there will be a sequel. However, it won't come out anytime soon since I have to finish my Yongha fic first. Please be patient.

**Special Thank:** Sany and Noemie for their hard working.


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